The Letter
by Kelsismom
Summary: This is a continuation from the movie 'Dear Frankie'. A letter is written and sent. How will it affect the lives of Frankie, Lizzie and the stranger?
1. Chapter 1

**A**uthor's **N**ote: This is a continuation from the movie 'Dear Frankie'. The stranger in this story is the same person from my other story 'Dreams of You'. The differences are going to be that he has taken a different path and made different choices in his profession-kind of an alternate universe sort of thing. Also, I don't own Dear Frankie or any of its original characters. Please read and review!

Chapter 1

_Dear Frankie,_

_I can't thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of your little family even if it was just for a short while. You see, I've been a sailor for many years and didn't realize what I'd been missing; not having a family of my own……..well except my sister, Marie._

_Marie was the one who wrote to me that your daddy had passed away and I was very sorry to learn about that. She also wrote that you knew the truth about me. Please forgive me for pretending…_

The sound of annoying laughter interrupted his thoughts. The chortling came from the upper berth.

Patrick rolled his eyes and attempted to continue writing.

"Ha! Hey Patrick, ya gotta hear this one!" Bob, his bunkmate/ best friend told him with a smiling face looking upside down at him from the upper bed. "What do ya call a snail on a ship?"

Patrick looked up at his friend's face with a smirk. "What?"

"A snailor!" Bob chuckled. "Isn't that great? My nephew wrote that in his letter. Says he got it from Spongebob-some cartoon character."

Patrick managed a nod and a weak smile. Bob was a character. He was one of those kinds of people who always had a joke to tell and a constant source of entertainment for many of the crew. Bob looked over to Patrick's pen and paper curiously.

"What have ya got there, Patrick? Still writing to Marie? Tell her I said hi!" Bob opened his eyes wide and questioned in a mock dramatic tone. "Or are ya writing _another_ letter to Frankie?"

Patrick half-regretted sharing his experiences with Bob about his last shore leave. But the ship could be a lonely place. He had found Bob to be not only a friend, but a good listener. Patrick's bluish-green eyes met Bob's brown ones with a warning.

Bob knew that look having known this man for some years being able to read when it was okay to push and when to back off. "Alrighty then," Bob said as he retreated back to his laying position on his bunk.

Patrick continued to write.

_Please forgive me for pretending to be him, Frankie and always know that I hold the most precious memories of you and your mammy in my heart and always will. Take care of yourself and your ma. Write back if you can._

_Your Friend,_

_Patrick_

Patrick reread the letter and sighed. He knew Frankie would never read this letter. He shoved the letter hastily into a folder where he kept all his other unmailed correspondences. Some to old friends. Some to Frankie and too many to Lizzie. How could he send them? It just didn't seem right.

"This last letter from Marie…" Patrick hesitated as if in a daze. "Well, she said that Frankie's dad died."

"Whoa!" Bob laughed responding from the top bunk; his loud voice filling the tiny room. He knew it was easier for Patrick to communicate this way. This was the way they had many of their discussions. "Good thing, eh, Pat? Saved us the trouble," Bob told him jokingly.

Patrick had certainly entertained the thought of it when Lizzie had told him about what his father had done to Frankie. He had thought of all the pain and suffering this man had inflicted on these two people whom Patrick had grown to care for so much in such a short time. Now, all he could do was reflect.

"Marie also wrote that Frankie knew I wasn't his dad."

It was silent now for a moment then Bob spoke again. "How do ya suppose he knew that?" he inquired.

"She didn't say in her letter. I don't know. Maybe I wasn't very convincing….or maybe I slipped up," Patrick paused, stood up, and faced his friend looking fairly devastated.

"Or maybe….he just figured it out because he's a smart cookie."

"Yup, you've told me as much before. He must've somehow figured it out," Bob agreed. "Why don't ya just send him the letter then?"

Patrick looked down and leaned against the wall. "I just can't, Bob. I lied to him. I _pretended_ to be his dad. How would you feel?"

"I think _I_ would feel happy that out of nowhere…." Bob looked up thoughtfully and scratched his chin,"a kind man cared enough to give me a last good memory of my dad and spent two enjoyable days with me." He cleared his throat and said in a quieter voice, "And my mother."

Patrick nodded. He knew Bob couldn't resist throwing Lizzie into the conversation. Ever since Patrick had told him about his time with Lizzie, Bob had taken a special interest in hearing more. For that very reason, Patrick didn't tell Bob that Marie had also wrote that Lizzie had inquired about who he was. Just reading that had given Patrick hope. He had felt that there was a connection between himself and Lizzie.

"I'm going to eh….get some air," Patrick told him leaving.

Bob looked down and shook his head. In all the years he had known Patrick this was the first time he had ever shown more than a slight interest in any woman. He was never lacking in female company. He wondered what it was about Lizzie that had seemed to possess Patrick's mind. He spoke fondly of Frankie quite often as well. Often, when Patrick didn't notice Bob had caught him rereading Frankie's old letters to his dad. Maybe it was the appeal of being a part of a family. Or maybe after years at sea Patrick was just ready to settle down.

Bob could recall a love he once had and lost. Bob had made that choice. Patrick wasn't like him, he knew.

Bob made the short hop down from his bunk and plopped onto Patrick's bed. He quickly opened Patrick's folder which he knew contained his letters and immediately found the one to Frankie. Gingerly he replaced the folder back the way he found it. With a quick look over his shoulder to confirm no one was watching, Bob withdrew the missive, folding it carefully and located the envelope already addressed to Marie sitting at the end of Patrick's bed. He took a sharp breath, knowing he was invading his friend's privacy and opened the unsealed envelope and added Frankie's letter to the contents inside. Laying it on his lap, he pressed it down so that it would appear untouched.

"It's for your own good, Buddy," Bob said quietly as he restored the envelope to its former location. Climbing back up into his bunk a pang of guilt struck Bob. He laid there and let the rocking motion of the waves lull him to sleep knowing that someday Patrick would thank him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's** **Note: **Just a warning to those of you who offend easily, you may want to skip over Bob's sailor joke.

Chapter 2

Long, slender fingers gently traced the man's face in the photograph. Lizzie sat at her kitchen table sipping her tea and gazing at the image before her. The picture of Frankie and the stranger with the ship in the background was a prize that Lizzie found herself never to be without. How many times had she looked at this picture, she had wondered. In the days since he had sailed she had probably looked at it; at him, at least a hundred times committing his finely chiseled features to her memory. The serious set of his jaw reminded her of their first meeting at the coffeehouse. The glint in his eye had been reminiscent of the way he looked at her while they danced.

Lizzie glanced at her son's smiling face beside him and couldn't help the melancholy feeling it gave her. Frankie had been so proud of this man whom he had thought to be his father. Or maybe by this time Frankie had figured it out, Lizzie speculated. Not a day had passed since he left that Lizzie hadn't thought of him and she pondered if it may have been that way for Frankie as well.

"Are ya looking at that photo again, Lizzie?" Her mother asked; startling her as she walked into the kitchen .

Lizzie jumped, reflexively putting the picture up to her heart. "Mother, ya scared me!"

"What do ya think yer doing, Lizzie?" Nell asked her as she sat down and joined her daughter at the table.

Lizzie clutched the picture and turned it face down on the table. She closed her eyes and sighed but didn't reply to her mother's query.

Nell lit up a cigarette and took a puff. She narrowed her eyes at her daughter who wouldn't even face her. "Lizzie?" Lizzie looked up finally. "How long are you going to go on like this?"

"Mother….I…don't know what yer talking about." Lizzie told her, focusing on a spot on the table and wiping it with her finger.

"Don't try to fool yer ma, Lizzie. It's been a month…"

"27 days." Lizzie cut in.

"Right. Well, yer obviously taken with this man," she told her pointing to the picture on the table. "What are ya going to do about it?"

"I don't even know him, Ma. I dream about him…a lot…." Lizzie confessed, absently circling the squiggly pattern on the table. "Somehow I just can't stop thinking about him." Lizzie shook her head. "I don't even know his name."

"Ya said he was Marie's brother." Lizzie nodded. "Surely she could put you in touch with him."

"It's not just that, Ma." Lizzie sighed and looked at her. "He's a sailor. I've thought a lot about this. I mean, what kind of relationship can you have with a man who's never there?"

"A peaceful one!" Nell laughed. Lizzie smiled and then her face grew serious again. Nell could see her daughter was hurting inside. "Okay, maybe this sailor isn't the one for you, Lizzie but…" she paused, noticing the doubtful look Lizzie gave her but then continued,

"Maybe he came along to help you realize that it's time for you to move on. Davey's dead now. It's high time you start building yer future."

Lizzie didn't always like hearing the things her mother had to say but usually found they made a lot of sense. Lizzie managed a small smile and told her mother, "I don't know what I'd do without ya, Ma."

Nell smiled. "That's what I'm here for." She told Lizzie and took a few more puffs of her cigarette before extinguishing it. Lizzie had already turned the picture right side up and was studying his face once again. Nell leaned over next to Lizzie and reached the photo with one finger slightly turning it into her view. "Too bad he's a sailor." Nell told her regretfully. Lizzie nodded in agreement. "If only I were 25 years younger…"

"Mother!" Lizzie laughed tugging the picture away from her and hid it.

* * *

Patrick rounded the starboard corner of the ship and heard Bob singing in his tenor voice as he painted the deck. 

"The sailor said Brandy,You're a fine girl, What a good wife you would be….."

Patrick smiled. Bob had sung this same song many times over the past few weeks.

"Hey Bob," he interrupted.

Bob stopped his painting and looked up at Patrick, his face becoming animated.

"Patrick! I've got a great one for ya."

"I'm looking for a letter…"

Bob cut in wanting to distract him. He put down his paint brush and raised both hands to Patrick. "Stop me if you've heard this one. A sailor and a priest were playing golf. The sailor took his first shot, missed and said, '#$, I missed.' Surprised, the priest replied, 'Don't use that kind of language or God will punish you.' The sailor took aim and hit his second shot. Again he missed and under his breath he said, 'I #$!'n missed again.' The priest overheard and replied, 'My son, please don't use that language or God will punish you.' The sailor took his third shot and once again he couldn't help mutter, 'Oh #$!…' The priest said, 'That's it. God will certainly punish you.' Suddenly a bolt of lightning came down and killed the priest. In the distance a deep voice said, '#$, I Missed'."

Patrick chuckled and in a mock serious tone asked him, "Ya kiss yer ma with that mouth?"

Bob looked at his friend with a serious expression. "As a matter of fact," Bob told him in an exaggerated tone with eyes wide open, "I do."

They both laughed for a moment. Patrick grew serious. Bob observed his friend's pensive manner.

"Something troubling ya?"

"Na..nothing." Patrick responded. Bob stared at Patrick questioningly. "It's just that I can't find the letter I was writing to Marie. I've looked everywhere. Have ya seen it?" Patrick asked, clearly troubled.

"Oh yeah." Bob told him. Patrick's face brightened.

"You've seen it?" he asked hopefully.

"Well, yeah. I mailed it at the last port."

Patrick's jaw dropped. "?#!$"

* * *

A/N : The song in this chapter and in the next chapter is called 'Brandy, You're a Fine Girl' by Looking Glass. Next chapter will be posted probably in a week. Please review! 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Dear Marie,_

_How are things with you? How's Ally? I hope all is well with your shop._

_Sorry it's been a while since last I wrote. As you know I started a new assignment onboard the Sycamore M.U. which is a smaller vessel than I've worked on in the past._

_New assignment, new faces and adjustments to be made. Oh and Bob is onboard with me again! He sends his hello's , by the way. So far we all seem to get along. Fortunately for us we have an excellent cook._

_I was happy to read your letter and know that things are well since last I saw you._

_Please send my condolences, by the way about Frankie's dad. It was surprising to read that Lizzie asked about me. I think about her everyday and wish I could see her again._

_I miss Frankie also and often read the letters Frankie had written to his dad. It probably wouldn't be fair to ask, but I would love if he wrote to me._

_We're about 2 days away from our next port. As I get time I'll write more. Take care._

_With Love,_

_Patrick_

Marie sat on her couch, staring open-mouthed at the letter in her hands. She reread it two more times and wondered if it was really her brother who had written this. Patrick hadn't ever expressed his feelings so easily and was often a very private person. His words about Lizzie had warmed her heart. She wondered if Lizzie felt the same way. Lizzie had only inquired about him once and Marie was not one to push. Still though, after reading this now Marie found herself very tempted to show this to Lizzie. She knew however, that's probably not what Patrick would want.

Then there was Bob. Just reading his name had given her a pang of sadness. It had been years since she had seen or heard from him. Her thoughts began to drift to a time when she was younger and naive. To a man with blonde, curly hair, a goofy grin, and light brown eyes that made her want to swoon. Standing nearly two inches taller than her, he would hold her in his arms and make her laugh. He hung on her every word and made Marie feel like she were the only person in the world.

Marie quickly returned to the present; pushing those thoughts away. Ally was the one who still made her knees weak when he looked at her. Ally was her future. They had only been together for five months but she knew that they were meant to be together.

Absently, Marie folded the letter and caught sight of the other sheet that was attached. She opened it and up and gasped. A smile overtook her lips.

* * *

Patrick cursed again, closing his eyes and shaking his head. 

"What?" Bob asked innocently, wondering if Patrick had noticed the addition to Marie's letter.

Patrick looked down, furrowed his brows, took a deep breath and exhaled. "That wasn't ready to be mailed, Bob," he told him, flustered. Bob looked at him confused. "It was my first draft. There were things in that letter that I…." Patrick stopped.

"That you what, Pat?"

"That I didn't mean to write, that's all."

Bob let out a sigh of relief. "Well sorry, Buddy….Thought I'd done ya a favor."

Patrick looked at him. Bob looked genuinely sorry. He knew he meant well. "Yeah well just ask next time," he muttered.

"Sure thing," Bob told him and knelt down to continue his painting.

"I'm off to inspect fire equipment. See ya," Patrick turned and walked away.

"See ya." Bob wondered what was in that letter to Marie. He shrugged and went back to his singing. "The sailor said Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be…."

* * *

Patrick stood at the onboard fire station, clipboard in hand checking off items on his list. 

"The sailor said Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be…." Patrick sang absently in his rich, baritone voice. "Yeah your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea."

Damn Bob…he had gotten this tune stuck in _his_ head now. Still that last line had reminded him of Lizzie's eyes and the way she had looked at him.

He inspected the breathing apparatus. Check.

Turnouts. Check.

Next, he inspected the hose for holes or tears and rolled it back neatly. Check.

Lizzie could be reading his letter…right now, Patrick thought.

Axes in place. Check.

Lizzie and Frankie could be writing their own letters to him. Patrick's heart began to pound. What if Lizzie wasn't interested, he asked himself. Patrick took a deep breath and reasoned with himself that Marie would not show her the letter. Damn Bob!

What's done is done, he thought and willed himself to concentrate on his work.

* * *

"The sailor said Brandy, you're a fine girl. What a good wife you would be. But my life, my love and my lady is the sea…" 

"What are ya singing there, Marie?" Lizzie asked Marie as she counted the cash in her drawer.

Marie looked up at Lizzie and smiled. "Oh it's an old song," Marie remembered sadly. "It reminds me of my first love."

"He was a sailor, was he?" Lizzie asked while stocking cigarettes.

Marie nodded. "Yes," she paused, a faraway look in her eyes. Lizzie stopped and leaned on the counter next to her. "And he chose the sea." Marie noticed Lizzie's sad expression ."Oh it's all for the best," Marie brightened. "I have Ally now and I love him."

"Right," Lizzie agreed now standing next to Marie.

"Well you know what they say about sailors?" Lizzie shook her head. "Once a sailor, always a sailor," Marie told her shaking off her mood.

"I …suppose," Lizzie told her feeling her heart sinking.

"Speaking of sailors...my brother sends his condolences." Lizzie looked surprisedly at Marie. "He also enclosed this letter for Frankie."

* * *

**A/N** According to the research I've done, the duties onboard various vessels vary greatly as do length of time onboard and such. So they may not be entirely accurate but I've taken liberties to fit the story. Actually, I've taken many liberties with this story and its characters and would be wise to warn you that Lizzie and our beloved Patrick will find a happy ending (eventually), so please hang in there with me. Enjoy and please Review! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bob joined Patrick who was leaning on the railing appearing to be lost in thought.

"It's eight o'clock, Patrick. Your duty is over."

"Right. Okay." Patrick took off his binoculars and hung them on a nearby hook. He went and stood by Bob again; reluctant to leave.

The two sailors stared out at the ocean waves that were reflected by the full moon's bright light. "Isn't it beautiful?" Bob asked with a peaceful look.

"Beautiful, so it is," Patrick replied and once again fell into silence. "Bob?"

"Hmmm?"

"Well...don't ya ever…" Patrick stammered. Bob looked at him. "Don't ya ever, you know, get tired of it?" he asked gesturing to the sea.

"There have been times, Patrick. But no, to me, the sea is like a jealous woman. And I can't leave her," Bob told him simply. "This is my home."

Patrick shook his head. "I've been doing a lot of thinking…."

Bob nodded. "You've been thinking about life on land. About Lizzie and Frankie."

Patrick smirked at his friend's perceptiveness. "Is it _that_ obvious?"

"Jesus, Patrick! I've never seen you so obsessed." Patrick looked down, slightly embarrassed. "Look, we've been gone for a month and a half. When this assignment is done I already know where I'm going next. Do you?"

Patrick shrugged. "I haven't really gotten that far."

"That's a load of crap and ya know it. I think ya know already what it is you want to do."

Patrick was surprised by his friend's earnestness.

"I do, do I, Smart Boy?"

"As a matter of fact," Bob told him exaggeratedly, opening his eyes wider,"Ya do." Bob sighed and became serious again. "And unfortunately for yer old pal here, it doesn't involve being on a ship."

* * *

Lizzie gaped at Marie holding the letter for Frankie. Lizzie's mind began to race. 

"He wrote to Frankie?"

Just then Cindy walked through the door and smiled hello to Marie and Lizzie. She was getting ready to take over Lizzie's shift.

Marie smiled at Lizzie who looked like she had seen a ghost. "Yeah…and tell him to write back. He sure does like receiving letters while he's at sea…"

Cindy couldn't help herself. She eagerly rushed over and stood facing them on the other side of the counter interrupting their conversation. "Ooooh...are we talking about your _toothsome_ brother?" she nosily inquired.

Marie looked at her. "Aye, we're talking about him...hold the phone..._toothsome_?"

"Her word for the day, no doubt," Lizzie laughed and Cindy nodded, pulling her blond hair away from her face and putting it into a ponytail.

"Yes, toothsome," Cindy informed them. "Defined as delicious, a pleasing taste. Listen, I'll use it in a sentence." She cleared her throat. "I enjoy eating the _toothsome_ pies Marie sells." Marie and Lizzie looked at her confused. "Or definition 3, and more appropriately, I might add, sexually attractive, exciting."

The ladies scoffed at her. "No listen, I'll use it in that context as well." Her blue eyes lit up. "I find your brother, Patrick to be one hell of a _toothsome_ man!"

Lizzie's eyebrows shot up. "His name is Patrick?" she asked looking at Marie and Cindy.

Marie nodded. Cindy added,"Aye and he's a _very_ toothsome fellow, so… he… _is_," she told her punctuating the words.

"And too old for you, Cindy," Marie added. "And I don't like hearing my brother discussed in this manner, little Missy," she told the 21-year old.

Cindy looked down guiltily. "Sorry." 

"It's okay," Marie told her and finished counting her drawer while Lizzie hung up her apron and collected her purse to leave. Cindy walked to the back, fetched her apron, and returned. "Now if ya want to talk about toothsome men, let's talk about Sean Connery!"

* * *

Lizzie shut the door behind her entering her flat and noticed Frankie sitting at the table doing homework. She hung her purse on the chair and sat next to Frankie. Frankie looked up and smiled hello to her. 

"Did ya have a good day at school today?" she asked him. Frankie nodded to her with a smile. "Marie gave me a surprise for you, Frankie."

Frankie looked up at her questioningly as Lizzie handed the folded letter to him. Lizzie sat there with hands folded and nervously tapped her foot on the floor watching Frankie's face light up as he read the letter. She had desperately wanted to read it herself beforehand but decided to respect his privacy.

Lizzie got up from the chair and filled the tea kettle with water and set it on the stove.

Frankie startled her by patting her on the shoulder and jumping up and down excitedly pointing to the letter. Lizzie smiled at her son seeing how happy this made him and was grateful to this man, Patrick for doing this. She felt inspired to write her own letter to him just to thank him.

Frankie disappeared to his room. Lizzie was left in the kitchen alone with her thoughts. She recalled Cindy's "toothsome" comment and laughed. There's a lot more to it than being toothsome, she thought. Even if his green eyes made her weak in the knees…she pushed that thought away. "Move on," she could hear her mother's voice telling her in her head. "Time to move on," Lizzie told herself.

Frankie came out a short while later and handed an envelope to his mom while she fried some chicken on the stove. Lizzie guessed it was his reply. Lizzie looked at him curiously with a smile. Frankie also handed her the letter from Patrick and gestured for her to read it. Lizzie gratefully read it quickly; her eyes devouring the words on the page.

She couldn't help but be touched by his words. Had he really thought Frankie would be upset? She wished now that she had sent the letter Frankie had written to him after all.

Perhaps, she still would and send this newer one along with it.

"Should we take it over to Marie then?" Lizzie asked Frankie holding up the envelope.

Frankie shook his head and pushed the envelope toward her, mouthing for her to read the contents.

_Dear Patrick,_

_Thanks for your letter. I've been hoping you would write but I understand that you are busy. Maybe you didn't get my last letter. That's okay._

_My dad did pass away but I never knew him. Ma and I are fine. I'm not upset that you pretended to be him. You were nice to me and I had a good time with you. You helped me win the bet! I did believe that you were him until the three of us got together and I saw the way Ma looked at you. I knew you couldn't be my real dad. _

_Anytime you are in town we would really like to see you again. Ma too. Take care and try not to get seasick. Write back often, if you can._

_Your Friend, _

_Frankie_

Lizzie gulped as she read the letter. Was it that obvious to Frankie? Apparently so, she thought. Lizzie smiled at Frankie as she folded the letter and replaced it in the envelope.

Frankie tugged on Lizzie's sleeve and she looked up at him. Frankie looked pleadingly at her and mouthed, "_Your turn."_

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Dear Marie,_

_Thanks for your last letter. I'm always happy to hear from you. Everything is well here._

_Sorry about the last letter. I was a little emotional. I appreciate that you didn't mention anything to Lizzie about it. It's uncomfortable right now for me just to write about it._

_Hey, Sis. Guess what? I think I'm going to take you up on your offer to stay with you. _

_That's right. You're little brother's hanging up his sea legs. I've spent 20 years away and I think it may be time for me to retire from sailing. So as long as it's still okay with you I'd like to stay with you until I get a job (keep your ears open) and find a flat of my own. The truth is, I miss you, Marie and I miss the life I've been missing out on. _

_Well that's it for now. We expect to arrive back in two weeks. I will e-mail once we are closer. Check your e-mail for Christ's sake! Can't wait to come home._

_With Love from your brother,_

_Patrick_

_P.S. Please stop calling me Patty!_

He closed up the letter and hoped he was doing the right thing. He folded it neatly and placed it in an envelope, sealing it carefully it just as Bob walked in finished with his night watch.

"You still up?"

"Yeah, I was writing a letter to Marie."

Bob changed his shirt and climbed into the upper berth. It was silent for a bit.

"So?" Bob questioned.

"So…..I think you were right," Patrick said quietly. Bob let out a loud sigh.

"Aren't I always?" Bob laughed.

Patrick nodded sadly. "Look Bob…I wanted to thank…"

Bob interrupted leaning over his bunk and looking at Patrick, "Hey Pat, you don't have to..."

"No, no…Bob...I do. I've never thanked you. You saved me…" Patrick stopped and took a breath.

Bob laid back on his berth knowing this would be hard for Patrick.

"If it hadn't been for you...I'd probably be dead by now. You and your uncle saved me by giving me that job on his ship and helping me get clean." It had been many years since Patrick had spoken of this and it was hard for him to talk about. "The drugs had made me into a very...bad person. I treated everyone I cared about like shit. Everyone hated me," he sighed. "Anyway, Bob, you had no reason to help me." Patrick got up out of his bed and stood in front of the upper berth looking Bob directly in the eyes. "I'm so grateful you did. Thanks."

Bob looked at his friend's serious face. "You were a real asshole, Patrick so you were... but that was a long time ago. You overcame it and you're a much better person for it..." Bob told him seriously, "and your friendship all these years is the only thanks I need," he told Patrick with a smile.

The two friends looked at each other in awkward silence. Patrick laid back down in his bed again.

Bob couldn't stand the quiet anymore. "Stop me if you've heard this one…"

* * *

"He's cuuuute," Cindy told Lizzie. 

Lizzie was removing the fish from the fryer and putting into a hot plate. Cindy busied herself stocking the ginger.

"Ya think so?"

"Absolutely," she told Lizzie eyeing the man who was sitting at the table eating with his daughter.

He was in his late thirties,of medium height, had boyish good looks, and was a bit arrogant for Lizzie's taste. "He's very successful, Lizzie. I tell ya he doesn't need to be eating in this place."

"Don't ya have a boyfriend, Cindy?" Lizzie inquired shaking her head.

"Not for me, silly. For you!" Cindy told her.

Lizzie crinkled her brows and looked at him again. "Don't be crazy, Cindy!"

"Shhh…now here he comes," Cindy uttered in a low tone as the man approached them.

"Hello there, Frankie's mother."

Cindy took this as her cue to leave and went to the back.

Lizzie looked up into his dark brown eyes and smiled. "Hello. Can I get ya anything else?"

"Don't ya remember me from the other night? Parent teacher conferences? I came in right after you?"

"Right." Lizzie nodded. "You are uh…"

"Thomas," he replied extending his hand. "I'm Ashley's father."

Lizzie smiled. "Nice to meet ya, Thomas," she responded while shaking his hand. "I'm Lizzie."

"I keep seeing you at the school and now I see you here."

"Small world," Lizzie agreed.

"Maybe it's destiny, Frankie's mother," he suggested with a wink.

"You can call me Lizzie."

"I will if you'll go out with me."

This caught Lizzie off guard. She stood gaping at him; looking from him to his daughter who smiled at Lizzie. Thomas _was_ a little charming. Lizzie considered what her mum said. Her mother would tell her she's not getting any younger. "I would love to, Thomas."

* * *

Bob caught up to Patrick who was doing his early morning jog around the ship. 

"One week to go, eh?"

"Right," Patrick replied panting. He was on his third lap.

"I sure am looking forward to Ma's cooking."

"And dry land?"

"That too."

"So how long until you set sail again, Bob?" Patrick asked in between breaths and picked up his speed.

"3 days."

"Anything special planned?"

"Nope. Not really. Visit with the parents. See my sister and nephew." Bob was falling behind and panting heavily now. "We'll be home for Easter..." Bob realized.

"Wow. That's a first. I guess I have to accustom myself to living life on land again. Celebrating holidays…"

"And birthdays. Say isn't yours coming up?" Bob queried.

Patrick slowed to a stop and put his hands on his knees to cool down. Still panting, he nodded affirmatively. "April 30th."

Bob finally caught up to him and tried to catch his breath. "How old?"

"38."

"Well old man, looks like the best years of your life are still to come."

"Cheers to that, old friend."


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Thanks to those _so much_ who have reviewed/commented! Please, I want to hear your feedback. Even if you're not happy with me right now...hang in there.

**Chapter 6**

"So Lizzie, how are things going with you and Mr. Thomas?" Lizzie swept the floor and looked at Cindy, who was wiping a table.

Lizzie looked at Cindy with furrowed eyebrows. "We're doing fine, Cindy. Not that it's any of your business."

Cindy brushed her hair to the side in a mock offended gesture and flounced over to Lizzie who was now sweeping dirt into a dustpan. "C'mon Lizzie. Details. You've been seeing him a week now. Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!" she demanded looking down at Lizzie and stamping her feet.

"Cindyyyyy," Lizzie whined.

"Listen Lizzie, I have school during the day, work here at night and weekends and hardly see my boyfriend because of his schedule...so please, give a girl a bit to live for."

Lizzie stood up with dustpan in hand and dumped the trash in the wastebasket. Lizzie looked to Cindy who was giving her puppy eyes and sighed. Lizzie wasn't one to divulge information but she didn't feel like she could talk to her mother and with Marie she felt she was connected to Patrick. Besides, she figured Cindy was harmless. "Okay, what do ya want to know?"

Cindy who was following closely behind her almost crashed into Lizzie as she turned around to face her by the register. "Let's see, where do I begin?" Cindy's face lit up. "Where has he taken you? Is he a good kisser? Does Frankie like him?"

Lizzie looked up thoughtfully. "Well, Thomas is very…nice. We've gone to dinner and a movie. He's come over once and brought Ashley." Her face grew serious. "Frankie is very upset about Thomas..." She looked down and let out a sigh. "And won't communicate with either of us." Cindy nodded understandingly.

Lizzie knew why Frankie was being this way. Frankie expected her to wait for Patrick. Deep down inside, she couldn't help feeling like dating Thomas was some kind of betrayal.

"And?"

"And what?"

"The other thing?" Cindy questioned,"Is he a good kisser?"

Lizzie shook her head with a small smile. "He's a gentleman." Cindy looked at her doubtfully. "What?"

"He hasn't kissed you yet!" Cindy asked exasperatedly.

"No, Cindy. He's old-fashioned." She didn't tell her that in truth, she didn't really want him to. "And very sweet." But not Patrick, she thought to herself.

"When's Marie coming in?"

Lizzie glanced at her watch. "Marie will be here in a couple of hours. She said she had some business she had to take care of."

* * *

Patrick sat at a table in the mess hall sipping a beer and staring at an envelope. 

"There ya are, Pat. I've been looking for you," Bob announced and plopped down into the seat across from him. Patrick seemed to be lost in thought and didn't acknowledge him.

Bob noticed the envelope in his hand. "What ya got there, Patrick?"

"It's a letter from Marie. I noticed it was a bit thick and thought she had written a long letter but found these…" Patrick pointed to 2 sheets of paper on the table. One was written in children's handwriting. The other he knew was from Lizzie but couldn't bring himself to read it.

"Awww…letters from Frankie and Lizzie? What do they say?"

Patrick wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and handed Bob the letter from Lizzie.

"Read it. I...just can't."

Bob took the letter from him and perused the letter silently.

"Out loud, please!"

Bob looked at his friend, observing the beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. "Right." He cleared his throat and read:

_Dear Patrick,_

_I hope all is well with you on your ship. Things are well with us. As you know, Frankie's daddy passed away. At the risk of sounding unkind, that was a relief for me. I feel like we don't have to run anymore._

_There are not enough words to express how grateful I am to you for all of your kindnesses. Frankie is rather fond of you and enjoyed very much the time you spent together. You can't imagine how thrilled he was to receive the letter from you. _

Bob suddenly became uncomfortable and cleared his throat again. He tried to read on but Patrick interrupted.

"Wait! What letter to Frankie? I didn't send any letters to Frankie! Let me see that!" Patrick said grabbing the letter away from Bob.

Patrick's eyes scanned the letter and shook his head. He continued to read aloud:

_You can't imagine how thrilled he was to receive the letter from you. For that as well, I owe you a huge thanks._

_I will pray for your safe voyage and hope that this letter finds you well. Feel free to write to us anytime and please know that upon returning to Glasgow that you will always have a friend here waiting for you. _

_With Love,_

_Lizzie_

Patrick stared at the delicate curves in her handwriting and was tempted to sniff the note if only to inhale the scent of her. "Friends," Patrick uttered, holding the paper in his hand as though he were holding his very life there.

Bob raised an eyebrow. "What did ya expect? That she would write of her undying love for you?"

Patrick frowned. "No…but..."

Bob interrupted, "Like you wrote to her? Oh that's right, you didn't actually _send _any of those letters."

Patrick furrowed his eyebrows. Sometimes he hated that Bob knew him so well. Confined quarters such as theirs didn't allow for much privacy.

Bob got up to get himself a beer and came back to the table as Patrick continued to gaze upon Lizzie's words.

"Aw c'mon Patrick. I thought it was a lovely letter," Bob asserted.

A realization took hold of Patrick. In a flash, he stood and Bob looked up at him.

"I will see ya back at the room," Patrick told him simply, picked up the letters, his empty bottle of beer, threw it out and left Bob staring after him.

Patrick walked, no ran back to his tiny quarters. _You can't imagine how thrilled he was to receive a letter from you._ Those words played over and over again in Patrick's mind. He opened up the door quickly. He took a seat on his bed and carefully reached over to where his folder was. Patrick opened it and thumbed through the various correspondences. Dear Lizzie, Dear Lizzie, Dear Frankie...no, that's not it. Dear Lizzie,.Dear Lizzie,.Dear Frankie...no that's not it either…he told himself. Frankie,..Lizzie, Lizzie,..Marie... He looked like a wild man thumbing through the letters over and over still not finding the one he was searching for. Patrick cursed under his breath; his mind racing, heart pounding, still trying to figure out what had happened to that God-forsaken letter.

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks.

"DAMN BOB!"


	7. Chapter 7

**A**uthor's **N**ote: Just a warning. The narrative is changing to first person for the next few chapters. The characters speaking will vary.

**Chapter 7**

In the 20 something years I've known the bastard I've never seen him like this. I think he's lost his bloody mind.

And so here I am freezing my arse off in icy, cold waters. Patrick shines a light in my face. I could kill the bastard. He did this to me. I am screaming at him half-wondering how this even happened.

_3 ½ minutes earlier_

I left the mess hall and headed back for my room when I saw Ronnie, one of the other deck officers on watch.

"Hey Bob! Come here, Man. Come check this out."

My curiosity was piqued.

He was standing in front of the railing looking out over the water.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Come check it out. It's the damnedest thing, so it is!" he told me.

I walked over to him and stood beside him. He pointed to someplace off in the distance.

I was puzzled. "What?"

"Don't ya see it, Bob?" Ronnie asked me still pointing toward the vast blackness.

"No," I replied shaking my head, crinkling my brows. "I don't see…."

Then all of a sudden I felt strong arms grasping my legs which then proceeded to toss me overboard.

I hit the water arse first; my arms flailing about. Then I swam up to the top coughing and sputtering. A light shone in my face. Patrick told Ronnie something I couldn't make out and Ronnie walked away laughing.

"Patrick!" I screamed up at him; the light still shining on me. "What the hell is this about?"

Patrick raised an eyebrow. "The letter," he said simply.

OH.

"Aw c'mon, Patrick! I don't know what yer talking about!" I yelled up to him paddling my arms and kicking my feet wildly in an attempt to get used to the brine. Not a chance in hell of that happening.

"Yer a liar, Bob," he said and I could see his breath as he spoke.

"No, I ah'ment," I yelled back up at him.

"Now I'm only going to ask you one question. What did you do?" he asked simply as though inquiring about the weather.

"Patrick, for Christ's sake, I don't have any feeling in my balls! Help me!" I cried out; my teeth chattering between syllables.

"What...did...you...do, Bob?" he asked again but slowly without even a trace of anger.

"Please! Ya gotta be kidding me!"

"Uh oh, Bob," he said with mild concern looking and pointing up at the sky. "Looks like rain."

Flip! I looked up at the stormy clouds. All I needed was freezing rain beating down on me.

Still furiously paddling I gave in. I smiled sheepishly up at him. "Heh heh. I took Frankie's letter and put it in with Marie's," I told him with chattering teeth.

Patrick smiled victoriously. He knew I would've denied it till my grave.

"Ya shouldn't have done that, Bob, but I'm glad ya told me," he nodded. Then he called out loudly, "Man overboard! Man overboard!"

Six of our crewmen rushed to help lower a lifeboat for me. Two of them inside it helped me in. They covered me with a blanket. While the lifeboat was being hoisted up my mind raced with all the various methods of revenge I might exact on my old friend. But then I sighed knowing it could've been a lot worse. He is a champion schemer, I have come to learn over the years.

Patrick got in a heap of trouble from the captain that night but he didn't care. We were three days away from Glasgow now. His sailing career was over, as far as he's concerned.

* * *

"Goodbye, Thomas and thank you again for dinner," I told Thomas quickly giving him a peck on the cheek. I opened my front door and scrambled inside. 

"Wait...but ...Lizzie."

I peeked at him through the crack in the door. "Good night!" I added quickly closing the door in front of me.

I stood there at the door watching him through the peephole to make sure he was gone.

He had tried to kiss me but I wouldn't let him. I could still picture the hurt look on his face. I couldn't help it. I wasn't ready for that...from him. At this point, I didn't know if I'd ever be.

Frankie tapped me on the shoulder, startling me causing me to scream. I turned around and faced my displeased son.

"Frankie! You shouldn't sneak up on me like that," I told him as we headed for the kitchen.

Laying there on the kitchen table I noticed some paper and a pencil. I glanced at it as I passed the table to fill up the tea kettle.

Frankie tapped on me again trying to get my attention. His brows were crinkled as he signed angrily, "Why are you still seeing him?"

"Frankie, he's a good man...and sometimes adults need to spend time with other adults," I explained.

Frankie shook his head and gestured to the paper on the table. It was the letter from Patrick and a letter that Frankie started and a few blank pieces of paper.

I sighed. I didn't know if I'd be able to make him understand. "Patrick is a good man too, Frankie…but...he's a sailor and he's away most of..."

Frankie interrupted me by waving his hands and writing on paper. "Patrick is coming back," he wrote.

This alarmed me. Was this some kind of boyish wish he had or had Marie told him something?

I shook my head. "No, Frankie, he's not coming back…not for a long time."

He wrote again,"He said we're all connected." Then he looked up at me. I started to open my mouth to refute it but then he wrote again,"He is coming back. I know it's true because I can feel it."

I gasped inwardly. Not because this was some fantasy or longing that Frankie had but because for the past few days I had felt it too.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Hello, Lizzie...It's been a long time," I said with one eyebrow up and a slight smile.

No, no, no. I thought. "Hey Lizzie, how _you _doing?" I then said nodding with a macho tone.

I looked at the reflection in the mirror and grimaced. That one definitely did not seem...right.

I tried again but this time...

I didn't hear Bob walk in then all of a sudden I see his incredulous expression looking back at me in the mirror. "What are you doing, Man?" he asked me clearly disturbed.

Surprised and embarrassed I turned around to face him.

"It's nearly time to go," Bob told me. He was dressed much like myself; in jeans and a shirt and toted 2 duffel bags.

I secured my backpack to my back, lifted my 2 very large duffel bags which contained all my possessions from over the years. Together we left the tiny quarters. Being a sailor, I didn't require much. Mostly clothes, some books, letters, pictures, personals, my folder with my drawings. I carried my life with me.

We walked out stopping and shaking hands, saying goodbyes to other members of the crew as we strode by.

"Did you ever reach Marie?"

"No, I rung her house but got her machine. I'm sure she got my letter. She knows I'm coming," I said confidently.

We walked through the ship and I said my mental goodbyes to all of it. The tiny rooms and confined spaces. Goodbye to 3 minute showers. Goodbye to the limited selection of meals. Goodbye to crew members I didn't like and would never have to see again. Goodbye to the long days and even longer nights. Goodbye sea. I felt no remorse saying farewell to any of it.

"Bob?" He looked at me. "I don't know what to say to her."

Bob looked comically at me. "What do you say to all the other girls?"

"Lizzie's different. I've known her for more than a day." Look who I was asking for advice. Bob was not one for meaningful relationships.

Bob looked thoughtfully at me and smiled, patting me on the back. "Tell her a joke."

* * *

I could see Marie hurrying toward her shop with still about 10 yards until she reached the door. I instructed the cab driver to pull over beside her. 

Puzzled, Marie looked over and saw me and her face lit up with an excited expression.

I emerged from the cab and she hugged me very tight.

"Patrick! You're here!" she screamed almost hurting my ears.

"Marie. I missed you," I told her hugging her back. I realized then just how much I really had missed my sister.

Marie looked surprised, shocked even. "What are ya doing here, Patrick?"

"Didn't ya get my phone calls, Marie? I left messages on your machine."

She smiled guiltily. "I spent the night at Ally's. I haven't been home."

"Check your e-mails?" I inquired.

She sighed. "My computer's broken."

"My letter?" I asked hopefully becoming painfully aware that she really had no clue I was coming or what I was doing here.

Then it dawned on her. She gave me a sheepish grin. "I'm so sorry, Patrick. It's been crazy around the shop and doing inventory I have a stack of mail at home I haven't even opened. I'm hoping my water doesn't get shut off!" she told me jokingly.

I stood there while the cab waited and tried to decide where to start. I looked down and took a deep breath. This was a lot to dump on her unexpectedly.

As I explained the contents of the letter, her smile grew from happiness to delight.

She jumped up and down and hugged me again. Marie advised me to collect my belongings and let the cab go. First she wanted to feed me. By that time I was famished. Then she would see to settling me into the guest room in her house, which she always referred to as Patrick's room whenever I stayed at her house.

"Patrick! This is perfect timing! I can really use your help. We're doing inventory still for another week," she told me, beaming as she opened the door to her shop. I nodded. I began to feel apprehensive because I knew Lizzie might be there and I still didn't know what to say to her.

Marie opened the door leading the way. "Ladies...look who's here!" she stepped aside so that she could present me.

My eyes darted to Lizzie, who was standing behind the counter, whose unforgettable brown eyes opened widely and covered her mouth in surprise. Was it happiness, I saw there or just plain shock? I couldn't focus on her because of the shrieking coming from Cindy, Marie's employee and neighbor.

"Patrick!" Cindy squealed, excitedly running to me with arms open wide forcing me to drop my bags where I stood. "Oh my God! Oh my God!"

She flew into my arms and I caught her; reciprocating the hug.

"He's retired from sailing," Marie announced proudly.

Lizzie looked from Marie to me and then back to Marie again not quite sure how to respond.

"Did ya come home to marry me, Patrick?" Cindy asked me, her eyes closed holding me tightly.

I chuckled. She'd had a crush on me since she was a teenager. "Naw, Cindy…" I told her pulling away from her embrace. "I thought your boyfriend wanted to marry you."

She scowled and stood behind me holding onto my shoulder. Lizzie giggled and Marie elbowed her.

Marie went behind the counter to get me a plate of fish and chips. I walked away from Cindy this time getting a real good look at Lizzie.

Lizzie looked exactly the way I remembered her. Beautiful. She smiled at me and caught my eye. She walked around the counter to where I was and said, "Welcome home, Sailor." She started toward me leaning inward holding out one arm as though meeting me halfway. She looked nervous as though I would reject her.

I leaned in and grabbed her and pulled her into a real embrace. None of this halfway business. I'd been waiting for this moment for two long months. I breathed in the floral scent of her perfume. I suddenly came to my senses. "You can call me Patrick," I whispered in her ear. She shuddered in my arms. This made me smile. This must be what heaven is like.

Marie interrupted us, "Patrick, have a seat at the table. I've got a plate here for you."

Cindy chimed in, "And I'll get you something to drink!" she said enthusiastically, rushing behind the counter.

Lizzie abruptly pulled away from me. She backed away and turned returning behind the counter. She wouldn't look at me.

I was confused by Lizzie's actions. Cindy put her arm in mine leading me and my bags to a table.

Cindy said something to me but I didn't hear it because I was still troubled by what had just happened. So I sat there in my chair and watched Lizzie help a customer when a man walked in and Lizzie's expression turned to that of fear.

The man made a beeline for her and told her something in a low voice. She nodded and went to the back, came out with her purse and left with that man looking back at me with an apologetic glance.

All of a sudden, I wasn't hungry anymore.

* * *

It had been a busy day. Cindy and I were doing our best to take inventory while helping customers and stocking. 

Marie burst through the door with a big smile on her face. Cindy and I threw each other curious glances wondering what had put it there. "Ladies...look who's here," she announced, moving off to the side to reveal her surprise.

Then I gasped. It was him. Patrick. My heart skipped a beat and I covered my mouth because I knew it was hanging open. He looked over at me. He was every bit as handsome as I recall. His hair had grown out a bit. When his turquoise eyes made contact with mine I felt my knees begin to weaken.

Cindy screamed,"Patrick!" and ran to hug him. He dropped his bags and she continued to squeal, "Oh my God! Oh my God!"

It should've been me. I stood there in disbelief watching Cindy throwing herself at him.

"He's retired from sailing," Marie added proudly.

It's like someone read what was in my heart and said, "Here ya go, Lizzie…don't mess this up." I also realized that Frankie had been right. He had known all along that Patrick was coming back.

I looked from Marie to Patrick and back to Marie again because I felt like this was unreal. There was no warning. One moment, he's a sailor gone at sea for months then all of a sudden he's back and he's retiring. This was too much for my mind to register.

"Did ya come home to marry me, Patrick?" she asked him dreamily holding onto him like a bloody koala bear. No, Cindy, I thought cynically. He came home to marry _me_.

He laughed and told her, "Naw Cindy…I thought your boyfriend wanted to marry you." He loosened her grip and backed away from her.

She scowled at him and swiftly moved behind him holding onto his shoulder and with her other hand pointing to him she mouthed the word 'toothsome' to me.

This made me giggle and irritated Marie who elbowed her.

Seeing Cindy throwing herself at him reminded me that Patrick may very well have a girlfriend or fiancée of his own. I didn't care to think about this right now.

Marie came behind the counter to fix him a plate and I was the only one of the three of us who had not properly greeted him yet. So I went around the corner and stepped toward him. I felt my heart pulsating in my chest.

I could smell the masculine scent of his cologne from where I stood. It befuddled me. Speak Lizzie. "Welcome home, Sailor," was all I could manage. I wanted to embrace him but didn't have the nerve. Instead it seemed like my knees might just buckle and I was leaning forward almost about to fall when he grabbed me. He grabbed me and pulled me into what I could only refer to as a bear hug. Strong, powerful arms slid around my back and I just melted into his embrace. I've never experienced something so safe, so warm, so… sensual. And this was just a hug.

"You can call me, Patrick," he whispered in my ear, the gentle air from his words jolted through me like a bolt of lightning. I shuddered from the mere sensation.

This must be heaven.

Our embrace may have been making people uncomfortable. Marie interrupted us,"Patrick, have a seat at the table. I've got a plate here for you."

"And I'll get you something to drink!" Cindy added rushing behind the counter for some ginger.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Thomas coming down the street. Thomas! He was coming to pick me up for lunch. Hastily, I backed away from Patrick and went back around the corner. What was I thinking? I'm over here melting in some man's arms when poor unsuspecting Thomas is on his way over to come get me! But Patrick isn't just some man, I reasoned with myself. Don't look at him, Lizzie. He won't understand. I helped the customer in front of me and purposely avoided Patrick's curious gaze.

Then Thomas walked in. I'm wishing that the ground would just open up and...swallow him. But that's not possible, I know. I can't just send him away. This man seems to really care for me.

"Hey Lizzie," Thomas smiled. "Are ya ready to go?"

I nodded and headed to the back room to remove my apron and collect my purse. I walked out to Thomas and we both left Marie's together. I couldn't help it though. I looked back at Patrick.

He looked as though I'd just punched him in the stomach. I'm so sorry, Patrick, I told him with my eyes and left.

* * *

**A/N**: _What?_ You didn't think I was going to make it that _easy_, did ya? Hang in there, dear readers and I _promise_ all will be well. Please review! 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

_3 months earlier_

"Please don't ask me to do this, Marie." Patrick told her quietly as he sat on his bed looking away from her.

"Look, Patrick, you know normally I wouldn't. This girl, Lizzie, remember I told you about her?"

Patrick nodded.

"She's had it pretty bad." Marie didn't know how bad but guessed from the pain in Lizzie's eyes that it must have been serious enough to lead her to this desperation.

"Didn't you tell me to stay away from her?" he asked Marie, recalling the first time he'd seen Lizzie.

"This is different. She has this amazing son."

"Yah Marie, you told me about him. Freddie?"

"Frankie," she corrected and Patrick nodded. Marie sat down next to him on the bed. "Anyhow, he's a great kid and Lizzie doesn't want to let him down."

"How did I get involved in this? What made you think of me?" He looked up at her questioningly,the dread shadowing his face.

Marie smiled and told him simply, "Lizzie said she wanted someone with no past, present, or future." Patrick sighed. "I'd say that fits you to a T, wouldn't you?"

Patrick looked down and sighed again. "Is that supposed to make me feel proud, Marie?" He felt a headache coming on and rubbed his temples.

"No…I mean, I'm sorry…I didn't mean it that way, Patrick," she stammered and put her hand on his shoulder. "Look, it's just one day. All you'd have to do is pretend to be his daddy for one day. Then you don't have to see either of them ever again."

"I don't like the idea of lying. It's not right," Patrick told her shaking his head. "And I don't like that this woman is trying to find a man who will lie to her son too. I mean, why?" he asked coarsely with his turquoise eyes piercing hers.

Marie looked at her brother determinedly. She knew he had a point but she wasn't ready to give up.

"No history, Patrick. It's just better that way. She has her reasons. I'm sure they're good ones."

Patrick hated what his sister was asking him to do but the thought of meeting Lizzie face to face did appeal to him.

"Please just meet with her, Patrick, tomorrow at the coffeehouse. Talk to her." Marie began to get discouraged by his silence. She took a breath. "You don't _have_ to do it, Patrick but Frankie and Lizzie mean a lot to me, and I wish you would."

"I'll do it, Marie," Patrick told Marie grudgingly. Her eyes lit up and her face showed a relieved smile. "But remember this, I'm doing it as a favor to _you_. Not for them." Patrick felt like he couldn't say no to his sister. Marie rarely asked anything of him.

Marie embraced her brother. "Thank you, Patrick. You won't regret this. I promise."

* * *

_Present_

_Patrick_

That night I tossed and turned in my bed. My mind reeled with unending thoughts and memories. Painfully I recalled the events of the day. I had been so happy to see Lizzie and for a while I thought she had actually felt the same. Two months.

I was kidding myself.

I felt a little guilty about badgering Marie about who this man was that Lizzie was seeing and why she hadn't warned me. There hadn't been time, she had told me. She had also said that it was nothing serious between them.

I rolled onto my side and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Nothing serious. Well that would remain to be seen. Still I couldn't help but feel like I'd wasted two months longing for a woman who was...seeing someone else. Just thinking about it made me sick to my stomach.

Then it hit me. Bob was right. I had never made my feelings known. It was _my_ fault. There were so many letters I had written to her and I didn't send even one of them. So she moved on. It was time to stop blaming her and move on myself.

And there in the dead of night, in a comfortable bed with big, fluffy pillows, I really believed it would be that easy.

* * *

_Bob_

It was nice to be home and all. I spent yesterday catching up with my mum as well as visiting my sister and nephew. He had just turned 11 years old and I swear that he had grown a foot since last I saw him.

Now I was growing restless so I decided to go in search of Patrick since my ship would be leaving tomorrow. I didn't know where he'd be staying so on a hunch I looked up Marie's shop hoping to find him there.

I entered Marie's and right away I saw her tending to some customers. Sweet Marie. Oh how I'd missed her. It had been many years since I held her in my arms. The years had been kind to her. She'd cut her hair and she looked lovely. Her smile brought me back to another time. The blue of her eyes reminded me of the ocean and how sometimes when I looked very carefully I would see her face there. That was my dilemma. I couldn't bring Marie with me.

I looked around her restaurant and could see she had done well for herself. She had dreamt of owning her own business someday. Her dream had come true.

I stood in queue and slowly approached her at the register. She was just giving change to a lady when her blue eyes made contact with my brown ones.

She gasped when she saw me and screamed my name. Before I knew it she had come around the counter and hugged me.

"Marie," I breathed. She pulled away and looked at me. "You're still as beautiful as I remember."

Marie narrowed her eyes and smiled. "And you still know exactly the right things to say," she said replied with her sweet musical laugh. "How are ya, Bob?"

"I'm great, Marie. How have you been? Looks like you've done well for yourself," I told her looking around.

"I do okay," she told me nodding. "Everything's been great."

"Patrick tells me you have a boyfriend."

"Ally," Marie affirmed.

"Sounds serious."

"Aye, it is," she agreed. "So how are you?"

"Same old me, Marie. Setting sail tomorrow."

Marie smiled the same bittersweet smile from the last time I'd seen her...and told her goodbye.

"So...I was looking for Patrick. Can you believe that he's retired?"

"I was so excited when Patty told me! It's great to have my brother back. He's out running errands today but he'll stop in later. He's going to help me here doing inventory until he finds another job. Say, you hungry?" I nodded. "Sit right down and I'll get ya some of Marie's famous fish and chips," she told me gesturing to a table. Marie went back around to fix a plate and crinkled her brows.

"Lizzie," she called. "We need some plates out here, please."

My ears perked up upon hearing the name Patrick had spoken of so often. I watched the door in anticipation of at last seeing the lady who stole my buddy's heart.

"Right," a voice replied from the back.

"Bob, I need to grab something from the freezer...I'll be back in a minute," Marie told me as she hurried to the back.

An attractive woman with brown hair and brown eyes carrying plates took Marie's place behind the counter and began putting them away.

I watched her silently and decided I would go up and introduce myself. "Hello, I'm Bob. You must be Lizzie."

Lizzie smiled shyly at me. "Hello, Bob," she greeted with a confused expression. "Are you a friend of..."

"Marie's," I cut in. She nodded and shook my extended hand. "Listen...can you tell Marie I had to go but leave this phone number for Patrick?"

Her eyes grew wide at the mention of Patrick's name. I took a napkin, borrowed her pen, and scribbled my number.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Lizzie," I told her handing her the napkin, and could see very easily how Patrick had been so taken with her. I began walking towards the door. I was in a bit of a cheeky mood. As an afterthought I added, "Oh yeah, and do me a favor and don't be breaking my friend's heart. Patrick's crazy about you. Cheerio."

I walked out the door leaving Lizzie and her stunned expression behind and smiled; completely satisfied with myself. Secretly I wondered how long her face would stay frozen like that.

Patrick would _hate_ me if he knew I told her about his little infatuation.

_Freezing my arse off in icy, cold waters_. Awww revenge is sweet.

* * *

_Patrick_

I walked up the steps to Lizzie's flat. I half-hoped she would be there. God, how I wanted to see her. I was long overdue. I shouldn't have kept these letters for as long as I did. They were never meant for me. So I decided to return them. It was the right thing to do.

I trudged up the remaining steps and heaved a sigh while closing the distance between myself and the front door. I held the manila envelope containing Frankie's letters as though it was my most valuable possession and I would have to part with it. At least that's the way it felt. I looked down gathering my courage and raised my hand to knock on the door.

The door opened before my hand even touched it. I was pleasantly surprised. I smiled. "Well, hello, Frankie."

* * *

Bob met me at the local bar that night. I caught him up in all that had happened. He shook his head in confusion. 

"So you went to return the envelope and Frankie opened the door?" he inquired while sipping on a beer.

"That's right. Gave me a big hug, he did. I gave him the envelope and told him to make sure his ma gets it. He was on his way to the library so I walked with him."

"So what did he say?"

"You mean, what did he write? He doesn't exactly speak so he carries a notepad around with a pencil and writes down what he has to say. He wrote that his friend from school is helping him to speak, though, but until he gets better at it he is too embarrassed to."

"Okay, then, what did he write?"

"He thanked me for the letter," I recounted and Bob gave me an 'I told ya so' look. "He said that he and his ma had missed me. That she was seeing this guy that Frankie didn't like and so he made no secret of it."

"It might not be too late for you, Pat."

I shrugged. "I'd like to believe that's true, Bob. Seeing her leaving with that man yesterday, I'll tell you, it hurt. Lizzie didn't have anything to say about it."

"Aw c'mon Patrick, ya just showed up without any warning. Give the woman a chance," he reasoned while lighting up a fag.

"Hey, I thought you quit smoking," I observed.

"I did. Well, like you, I only smoke while I'm here. Call it a force of habit."

"A bad habit. I could take it or leave it. I'm leaving it."

"Good fer you. You'll be Glaswegian of the Year!" Bob chuckled as he took another sip of his beer.

I held up my hand to the barkeeper signaling for him to bring me another one.

"So have ya thought about what kind of work yer going to do?" Bob inquired.

"Well, fer now, I'll be helping Marie with her inventory. She also said she'll need me to do deliveries from time to time."

"It's a good thing you renewed yer license."

"Aye it's true," I agreed. "I honestly don't know what other kind of work I could do. I have always wanted to try photography." Bob nodded encouragingly. "But then I'm thinking I'm just too old to be trying something like that."

"Well, Patrick, I'm sure the perfect job is right here under yer nose."

"I'm sure it is." The barkeep brought me my beer.

Bob raised his mug. "To starting anew, Pal."

I raised mine to meet his with a clink. "To starting anew."

* * *

A/N: Any questions regarding the flashback will be answered in a future chapter...a way future chapter. Oh and thanks so much to those who have reviewed/commented.Hang in there with me and please review! I'd like to hear your feedback. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I ran down my list of ingredients for chocolate chip cookies I was baking for Frankie's class.

Melted butter….check

Brown sugar…..check

White sugar…...check

Patrick had been here today.

I mixed the three ingredients and set them aside. In a separate bowl I added dry ingredients.

Salt………………check

Baking soda……..check

Flour…………….check

My eyes turned to the manila envelope laying on the table in front of me; almost taunting me.

I set the dry ingredients aside and cracked open two eggs adding them to the butter mixture.

Patrick returned the letters. My heart ached a little from what had happened at Marie's. Baking right now seemed the only thing to comfort me. That was the thing about baking; it was one of the few things in my life I actually had control over.

I shook my head and tried to concentrate on what I was doing.

I added the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, scraping the bowl.

Why did he return the letters? Why now?

Absently, I mixed the contents, adding vanilla and chocolate chips.

In my heart I knew the answer. I messed up.

* * *

The Next Morning 

"There he goes again. Third time around," Cindy told me gazing dreamily at Patrick through the window. Cindy sighed,"He's so very…"

I couldn't stand it anymore. "I know, Cindy. Toothsome. He's very toothsome. I get it!" I snapped at her.

Cindy turned around and eyed me suspiciously while I busily wiped tables. "What's with you?"

I didn't reply.

Cindy smirked. "Ohhhhhh." She cocked her head sideways narrowing her eyes at me. "I get it."

I wouldn't look at her.

"You have a thing for the toothsome fellow, don't ya?"

"Cindy, ya don't know what yer talking about."

"I think I do. You get really jumpy at the mention of his name. And yer always looking at the door as if yer expecting him to walk through," she declared with one accusing finger while nodding as though she had solved some great mystery. Sherlock Bloody Holmes, so she was.

I shook my head in denial as I filled the napkin holders.

"Well don't look now. It looks as though he may be coming in," Cindy announced backing away from the window.

Patrick stood there in front of Marie's with hands on knees, catching his breath. He was a sight in his shirt and jogging shorts. He stretched his long muscular legs and walked in.

Cindy had hurriedly gone behind the counter trying to look busy. Patrick looked at me and simply nodded hello then walked up to Cindy and asked for a bottle of water.

"Are ya still going ta school, Cindy?"

She nodded. "I'll graduate next year."

"Perfect. And how's that boyfriend of yers?"

"He's fine. He's almost finished his probation for the fire department."

"That's great, Cindy. Sounds like he's got a good head on his shoulders."

Feeling quite left out and with an armload of napkins I went to the back to put them away and stood unseen behind the door unashamedly catching the tail-end of their conversation.

"You might apply, Patrick. I hear they're hiring."

What? Who? I wonder.

"So are ya coming in today to do inventory?" I heard Cindy inquire.

"That's right. In a couple of hours yet," he replied, his voice sexy as ever.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I don't know why. Maybe because I felt this discomfort between us may go away if we got a chance to talk.

Patrick did end up coming in two hours later but we were very busy up front and Marie had him occupied in the back taking stock of supplies. To my knowledge blue jeans and a t-shirt had never looked so good.

I was finding it difficult to concentrate on helping the customers knowing he was just a short distance way. I kept wondering how to make things right.

Dump Thomas, my heart said. But my mind told me that I really didn't know anything about Patrick.

No past, no present, no future.

At least with Thomas I knew where my future was headed.

But Patrick's embrace made me feel whole.

Finally, it was time for me to go home so I decided to go talk with him in the back room. I opened the door to find him high up on the ladder. I just stared up at him silently watching him in all his masculine glory. I don't know how long I stood there before he finally noticed me.

"Oh Lizzie, hello," he told me with a smile; his turquoise eyes boring down into mine.

Thump thump. Thump thump. I could feel my heart pounding. "Hello, Patrick," I replied feeling the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Have ya been standing there long?"

Enjoying the view, so I was.

"Nnnnnooo," I stammered like a right schoolgirl. "Listen, Patrick," I requested and found myself unable to meet his gaze. "We need to talk."

His mouth was set in a line. "Right, Lizzie. We do need to talk," he agreed as he descended the steps from the ladder.

Thump thump. Thump thump. He stood there in front of me just inches away and we gazed at each other. How many times had I looked upon his face in the picture?

"You go first." We both said simultaneously.

_Chicken_, I told myself. "Go ahead," I said with a nervous chuckle.

"Right. Well…uh…I wanted to...uh..."

Just say it Patrick, I think. "Wanted to what?" I asked nearly breathless, feeling like I was hanging on his every syllable.

"I wanted to ask if it was alright to take Frankie over to the football field on Saturday. I told him I used to play in school and I could show him a few things."

OH.

This wasn't what I expected at all. Frankie would love it, though. Still, it wasn't what I wanted to hear.

"That sounds great, Patrick," I responded, trying hard to hide my disappointment. "Frankie will be very excited."

He looked relieved. "Glad to hear it. I actually was a little nervous about asking you."

I laughed nervously and hung up my apron.

"Okay so then 10 am tomorrow I'll be there to pick him up."

"Right. See ya then," I replied; my heart feeling a little heavy. "Bye, Patrick," I added as I made my way towards the door.

"Bye...Oh wait...Lizzie?"

Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. I turned around to face him. "Yes?" I asked hopefully.

"What did ya want to say?"

Right. More cheerfully than I felt I told him, "We're so happy that yer back."

He looked at me for a moment then smiled, nodded, and climbed back up the ladder.

* * *

Marie had a long list of items that needed to be brought down and accounted for. This would go on for a few weeks. I was happy to help. Also, I was anxious to get back and be able to face Lizzie with some degree of my pride intact. 

When I saw her this morning after my jog I avoided her altogether because I just didn't know how to act so I focused all my attention on Cindy.

Now as I stand here counting napkins, utensils, and salt and pepper packet boxes my thoughts drift to the woman behind the counter. I also think about Frankie and how much I enjoyed our conversation on the way to the library from the other day. My infatuation with his mother should not take away from him. He deserved a male figure in his life. He waited his whole life for it.

I closed up the box of utensils carefully accounting for them on my list and reached over for the next box.

What did Lizzie see in this guy anyway? Sure he was okay-looking. And he was a successful restaurateur and could provide her and Frankie with anything they could ever want...

Okay stop right there, Patrick. I knew I had nothing to offer her. Here I was almost 38, nothing to show for it. Nothing to give her but my heart. I couldn't stand the thought of not being able to be near her so I would accept the next best thing...being her friend.

I sighed to myself and thought I heard a noise. I looked down and found Lizzie there looking up at me. How long had she been standing there? "Oh Lizzie, hello. Have ya been standing there long?" I inquired.

She looked and sounded nervous. "Nnnnooo. Patrick, listen. We need to talk."

Uh oh. Here we go. Nothing ever good comes from 'we need to talk',so I've heard.

I climbed down the steps. "Right Lizzie. We do need to talk."

I looked into her beautiful, brown eyes and wondered to myself how it was I ever left her that night.

"You go first." We said at the same time. Please let me go first. I don't think I could bear the rejection.

"Go ahead," she told me with a chuckle.

"Right." Her eyes seemed to enchant mine. "Well…uh…" What was I going to say again? Oh right. "I wanted to …uh." She might not think this is such a good idea after all.

"Wanted to what?" she asked me, nearly as a whisper.

C'mon Patrick, spit it out. "I wanted to ask if it was alright to take Frankie over to the football field on Saturday. I told him I used to play in school and I could show him a few things."

Uh oh. This reminds me of when I asked for that second day. Her eyebrows crinkled charmingly but she looks confused for a moment. Then she smiles.

"That sounds great, Patrick. Frankie will be very excited."

What a relief. My worst fear had been that she would cut off all ties with me because of this guy she's seeing. "Glad to hear it. I actually was a little nervous about asking you."

She laughed, shaking her head and went to hang up her apron.

"Okay so then 10 am tomorrow I'll be there to pick Frankie up," I confirmed with her and hoped she wouldn't change her mind.

"Right. See ya then," she said. "Bye, Patrick," she told me as she headed towards the door.

"Bye." Wait a second, supposedly there was something she wanted to tell me. "Oh wait...Lizzie?" She turned around and gave me a puzzled look. "What did ya want to say?"

"We're so happy that yer back," she told me with a genuine smile. It made my day. Hearing her say that made me want to grab her and kiss her.

But then I remembered Thomas.

I smiled back at her, nodded to the fact that friendship is better than nothing and climbed back up and resumed my work.

* * *

A/N: Please let me know what you think! 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Thomas_

This was the last straw. First I'd spied Lizzie, Frankie, and that man down at the pier. That man looks damn familiar but I can't seem to place him. Next my daughter, Ashley had told me she had seen them at the ice cream shop. Looked like a happy little family, so she said. The killer was when my business partner, Roy, a right cheeky fellow, spotted them strolling together across the street from my restaurant. Roy, who looks for any opportunity to make my life miserable, arrogantly pointed Lizzie out saying, "Hey Thomas, can't you keep a tighter reign on your woman?" laughing at me as though I were a damn fool. Thomas Scheffield will _not_ be made a fool of. I don't know who the hell this man thinks he is. Lizzie is _my_ girlfriend.

Well, at least we've been seeing each for about a month now. Lizzie had said he was just a friend but I'd trust him about as far as I could throw him. There was definitely something about him. And I don't like the way he looks at her either. I think he's just using Frankie to get to her. Lizzie doesn't see it.

I knew from the moment I saw her at Parent-Teacher night that she was for me. I really care about this woman. And as far as Frankie goes…he doesn't even acknowledge me with a smile or even a nod but looks to that man as though he were some kind of idol.

Frankie will just have to learn to like me, that's all. I'm a good man, I make an honest living. I can provide them with the kind of life they both deserve.

I'm going to make her see it.

* * *

_Patrick_

Things were going well with Frankie, Lizzie, and I. I had taken Frankie out alone about three or four times before Lizzie started to "tag along" with us which was just fine with me. Frankie and I practiced catching the football and doing drills on the field. If it wasn't too late then Lizzie brought water and watched us.

A couple of times we ended up at Marie's for fish and chips. Except for Frankie, who of course just ate chips.

Just sitting there one day eating ice cream with Lizzie and Frankie confirmed for me that I had made the right decision about retiring from sailing. I'd already put in applications at a few places. There was one job in particular that I felt qualified for that I would be successful with. So until I get hired Marie was more than happy to employ me and I was happy to be close to Lizzie on a daily basis.

Thomas, I noticed was coming in more frequently. I didn't like the looks he was giving me either so for Lizzie's sake I just ignored him. I swear if he ever hurts her, he'll have me to answer to.

* * *

_Lizzie_

The more time Frankie and I spent with Patrick the more I found wrong with Thomas. His arrogance started becoming more apparent to me. From the way he snapped his fingers to summon the waitresses at various restaurants to the way he took for granted that I would be at his beck and call. It was getting old real quick.

As I replaced the fish in the warmer, Patrick swept the floor and entertained Marie and I with another of his sailor jokes.

I'm laughing and Marie shook her head as she inspected the legs on some chairs finding them to be particularly wobbly.

"Hey, Patty," Marie called out to him absently shaking the loose leg.

"Marie…" Patrick said with a warning standing there with his broom.

She looked up. "Okay, I'm sorry. Patrick, I need you to fix the legs on these..."

A red-faced Thomas stormed in, scoffing at Patrick and came straight to me.

"Lizzie!" he spat in an angry, hushed tone.

"Thomas? What's wrong?" I asked him curiously.

"Ashley told me she saw you and _him_..." he said pointing to Patrick, "and Frankie at the ice cream shop. _And_ I saw you at the beach. _And _by my restaurant. What's this all about?"

Stay calm, Lizzie, you've done nothing wrong. Brilliant! Now Patrick and Marie are both watching us.

"We're just friends, Thomas," I told him incredulously.

"I want you to stay away from him," Thomas demanded a bit too loudly. Funny at that moment, he reminded me of a petulant child.

Who did he think he was telling me this? I shook my head, confused and noticed Patrick started to walk over.

Thomas's angry gaze shot over to Patrick. "Who is _he_, anyway?"

Taken aback, I replied, "He's my friend, Patrick and-"

"And he happens to be _my_ brother," Marie who had walked over, cut in.

Thomas looked from Marie to Patrick then back to Marie again and finally back to me. A look of recognition came over his face. "I remember you," he told Patrick scornfully. "I knew you were familiar. You're Patrick Connelly." Thomas faced me again. His tone was making me nervous. "Lizzie, stay away from him. The man's a drug addict. He killed his grandmother, so he did. I read it in the paper years ago."

Marie's eyebrows shot up and her jaw dropped as well as mine. "Our grandmother had a weak heart, Thomas. She died from a heart attack," Marie hissed at him.

"He was the cause of it, no doubt. He killed her just the same as if he shot her," Thomas told her defiantly.

Patrick looked like he was going to take the broom and smash Thomas over the head with it.

I stood there gaping at him, not wanting to believe what he was saying.

Tears filled Marie's eyes. She marched over to Thomas with one finger pointed to his chest and told him, "I think you'd better leave here." Through clenched teeth she added, "And don't ya _ever_ be settin' foot in my shop again."

Thomas looked at me again. "Lizzie?"

Patrick, shaking his head, threw his hands up letting the broom fall and withdrew to the back.

My eyes stayed trained on the register, unable to look at Thomas. I couldn't believe he would say such things.Yet Marie's angry look told me that maybe he was telling the truth. Marie's fiery eyes never left his face.

Thomas shook his head in response and looked deflated as he left. I watched him leave and glanced over to Marie who was wiping her eyes, hurrying to the back.

Confused and distraught, there was only one thing I knew for certain at that point. And that was that I needed to talk to Thomas.

* * *

_Patrick_

The days seemed to fly by working at Marie's. It was a joy just to be near Lizzie even if she couldn't be mine.

That afternoon, Marie was inspecting the legs on chairs. There was never a shortage of things for me to repair, stock, or lift.

Lizzie was replacing the fish in the warmer and I happily told one of Bob's favorite sailor jokes. Lizzie's laugh was like music to my ears.

"Hey Patty," Marie called out to me, jarring me from my happy mood. Obviously she missed the irritated look on my face. She knows I _hate_ when she calls me that.

"Marie," I told her trying to look intimidating standing there with my broom.

She looked up at me finally, catching on to her error. "Okay, I'm sorry. Patrick, I need you to fix the legs on these ..."

Before she got the chance to finish her sentence, Thomas stormed in throwing me his customary dirty look and marched straight over to Lizzie.

I slowly swept my way toward Marie trying not to eavesdrop but Thomas was practically hissing at Lizzie.

"Thomas, what's wrong?" I heard Lizzie ask him, still trying not to eavesdrop, of course.

Something was not right, I could feel it.

Thomas was speaking in hushed tones. "...saw you and _him_." I looked up assuming correctly that I am _him_ because he was pointing towards me while I slowly swept my way back toward them. "and Frankie over at the ice cream shop. _And_ I saw you at the beach. _And_ over by my restaurant. What's this all about?" he asked her accusingly.

I stopped my sweeping and observed because now I was involved and there's no way I'm going to let this bawbag lay a finger on her.

Lizzie's eyes darted over to Marie and I. "We're just friends!" she insisted, outraged.

I didn't like his tone one bit. And I didn't appreciate what he's implying. Lizzie hasn't been anything but friendly with me.

"I want you to stay away from him!" he told her red-faced and loud.

Okay, I'm going to pummel this asshole. I walked over to where he was standing, towering over him, staring him dead in his rosy red face.

Marie had also caught on to what was happening and joined me.

Thomas angrily faced me, addressing Lizzie, "Who is _he_, anyway?"

Quickly Lizzie told him, "He's my friend, Patrick and-"

"And he happens to be _my _brother," Marie cut in looking as though _she_ might pummel him.

Thomas looked from Marie to me then to Marie again and finally back to Lizzie. You could practically hear the wheels turning in his head. His expression changed as though he'd figured something out.

He looked to me. "I remember you. You're Patrick Connelly."

I raised an eyebrow. He wasn't familiar to me.

He looked back to Lizzie. "Lizzie, stay away from him! This man is a drug addict," he told her pointing.

What the #!& ! That was more than 20 years ago but he didn't stop there.

"He killed his grandmother, so he did…"

The rest of what was said was a blur. All I could think about was taking the broom and wrapping it around Thomas; squeezing the life out of him. I resisted the urge when I saw Lizzie's mouth fall open. No matter what he said Lizzie would never forgive me if I gave him what he deserved.

My big sister protectively stepped in, pointing to Thomas. "I think you'd better leave here," she told him through clenched teeth. "And don't ya _ever_ be settin' foot in my shop again."

Not happy with Marie's command, Thomas looked over to Lizzie. "Lizzie?"

I had to get out of there before I hurt him. I gave up. He won. I shook my head, threw my hands up in the air and retreated to the back room. I wanted to run; run far away.

More than 20 years ago, Bob had saved me by putting me on his uncle's ship. Now, Bob was gone. No more running away. I knew it would be time to face my past.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **With much appreciation for the feedback, here's the next chapter! Keep it coming!

**Chapter 12**

Well, I did it. It was long overdue but I finally did it. I caught up with Thomas and let him have it. I told him that it was none of his bloody business who I chose to have for a friend. I told him how dare he go and make a scene at Marie's and insult Patrick. I told him no man owns me nor ever will. And finally, I told him goodbye.

Sure, Thomas said that I liked Patrick more than I let on and that was the reason I didn't want to see him anymore. He's very intuitive. But I didn't tell him that.

So that's that. I can't believe I didn't do it sooner. I wanted to kick myself for putting us all through this.

Walking back to work now, I realized I needed to really talk to Patrick. I couldn't just accept the things Thomas had said. With trepidation I mentally prepared myself for the emotional trauma Thomas had left behind.

_Later that day_

I had come back to a busy shop. Therefore it didn't give Marie and I a chance to talk.

She did tell me that she sent Patrick home and that he decided, to my dismay, that he was going to work nights there and pursue other work during the day.

Now he didn't want to see me. And I desperately needed to see him. But I didn't know how.

* * *

The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I sat there at a long table facing four uniformed men who took turns asking me questions. It had already been about a half an hour and their serious expressions gave no clue as to what they were thinking. 

A bald man, who looked to be in his late 50's who had asked me the majority of the questions spoke again. "Mr. Connelly, you have excellent recommendations from previous employers. Your test score here shows that you have knowledge of procedures and practical applications."

I nodded my head. "As all sailors do," I told him. I really wanted to do well. This wasn't the only interview I'd ever been on but for me right now it was the only one that mattered.

Another man with grey hair and kind, blue eyes asked, "You're almost 38 now, that's older than we usually consider."

"Right. I am in the best shape of my life right now and I know I could do the job. I'm a hard-worker and take my job seriously. This is not a stepping stone for me. I plan on making this my career," I told the panel confidently.

A heavyset man with blond hair eyed me critically and shifted in his chair. "Mr. Connelly, in your medical history here you put that you were a drug user?"

I took a deep breath and wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. "That's correct. I was a drug user in my late teens. I have been clean and sober for more than 20 years and am currently in excellent health."

"So why should we consider you over someone who has no previous drug history?" asked the last man, who was about my age.

I was prepared for this question, because I knew there were several applicants, many of them younger with formal experience.

Sitting up nice and straight, I looked them each in the eye and told them, "I feel that you should consider me because everyone deserves a second chance."

* * *

It was getting very tiresome watching my brother over the past week. The way he moped about the shop and home was downright depressing. And I can't say Lizzie was any better. I sighed to myself while I looked over my cash reports. I looked around at my customers sitting and enjoying their food and smiled to myself. Business was good. 

It had been a very eventful month for me. First, inventory had occupied most of my free time. Then Patrick coming home to stay was a huge but wonderful surprise. I couldn't be happier. Then Bob came for a short visit. He looked well and hadn't changed much. Same old Bob. I was very happy to see him and even happier when I realized that I truly was over him. Ally treats me like a queen and he is everything that I could ever want.

My brother, on the other hand will not listen to anything I say concerning Lizzie. Very stubborn, he is. Always was and I suspect always will be. When I told him that years ago I had made him a silent partner with my shop he wouldn't hear of it. I explained to him that he'd made it possible with all the money that he'd been sending me over the years but he wouldn't listen. He's very determined to make it on his own. He's also very private and doesn't like to discuss what he's feeling. It's frustrating for me. He wears his heart on his sleeve, though. Patrick's never been serious about any woman. He wasn't very good at hiding the fact that he was crazy about Lizzie. I can't help feeling that there has to be a way for me to help get those two together.

I closed up my log book and decided to work on it later when Frankie walked in. With a smile, I faced my young patron as he approached me at the counter.

"Hello Frankie. Your mum's not here. She'll be back…" Frankie shook his head. "Oh did you need something then?"

Frankie wore a sneaky smile; still shaking his head and handed me a note. I opened the note and read it. It was unexpected but I was pleasantly surprised.

With eyebrows raised, I asked, "Yer Ma wrote this?"

Frankie's smile became wider as he shook his head no.

"Then who? You?" I questioned curiously.

Frankie took a napkin and my pen and wrote. _Nana_

I giggled. "Nana wrote this?" Frankie nodded. "She writes like yer mum, does she?"

Frankie wrote again. _No, Ma writes like Nana_.

"Oh." I nodded still holding the note in my hand reading it again. Sneaky wee devil, so he was. Obviously Nell was in on it too.

I knew Patrick would be coming in later. With a big smile and wink, I told Frankie, "I'll take care of it."


	13. Chapter 13

**A**uthor's **N**ote: The narrative is changing back to third person. Sorry for any confusion!

**Chapter 13**

He sat on the bench anxiously and glanced at his watch again. There was a full moon in the sky and the light wind felt cool against his face. It was nearly 10pm. He had left a little early from the shop. Patrick pulled the note from his pocket and read it again.

_Dear Patrick,_

_I can't go on like this anymore. I need to speak to you alone. Please meet me tonight after you get out of work at the bench that overlooks the ocean. It's important._

_Until Then,_

_Lizzie_

As excited as he was to receive it, he couldn't help but wonder what was so important and why she even wanted to see him. It worried him because it could be bad news.

Marie's phone message from Patrick had struck Lizzie a little odd about him requesting to meet her tonight. More than anything Lizzie was grateful that Patrick was willing to speak to her.

_Tonight is the night_, she thought. Lizzie felt she had to find out what was going on his mind and if what she'd been hoping for could ever become a reality.

Lizzie thought sadly that the last time she'd sat at that very bench she had been in despair. She'd felt worthless as a mother. She'd felt that she was a liar and was ashamed of herself. Worst of all, Lizzie had feared she'd let Frankie down.

Shaking off the past, a wave of anxiety washed over her. _Tonight is the night_, _Lizzie_, she thought nervously to herself. _Tell Patrick how you feel and maybe...hopefully he'll feel the same way._ Looking back now, she truly believed that if Patrick had told her he was interested in her then she would've said goodbye to Thomas a lot sooner.

When he was away at sea, Patrick had written a letter to Frankie, not to her. It had touched Lizzie deeply that he had written to Frankie but couldn't help but feel that she didn't hold any real value in Patrick's life other than being Frankie's mum. _A hug_, she thought, _was not a declaration_.

With nervous anticipation, Lizzie strolled; collecting her wits toward Patrick on the bench and noticed he straightened upon hearing her footsteps. He turned and looked at her. She felt knots forming in the pit of her stomach. She faced where he sat. Lizzie felt her heart pulsating as his turquoise eyes met hers.What was it about the way Patrick looked at her that made her knees want to buckle?

"Hello Lizzie," Patrick greeted, gesturing for her to sit. _She looked lovely, as always_, he thought. Her hair was pulled back in a clip, hands in her jacket pockets. How he had longed to hold her.

She sat beside him; the smell of his cologne disarmed her. The spicy scent awoke her senses. For a brief moment Lizzie wondered if she'd lost the ability to form a coherent thought or even speak. _Just breathe, Lizzie._

"Hello, Patrick," Lizzie replied, thinking it sounded like a croak.

She buried her hands deeper in her pockets as they sat silently, waiting for the other to begin. Lizzie mentally gathered her courage to say what she'd come to tell him. Where to start? "How are you?" she asked quietly.

"Fine. I'm doing fine. Lizzie, how are you and Frankie?"

_Miserable_, Lizzie thought. "Doing well," she answered.

"I've really missed you and Frankie this past week." Patrick wondered if he'd said that out loud. Judging by the surprised look on her face it looked like he had.

_Thump thump. Thump thump_. Patrick's confession gave her some hope. She smiled shyly as though she were a schoolgirl and her eyes fixed steadily on the pavement.

"We've missed you too."

"Feel like a stroll?" Patrick asked, hoping to rid them of the awkwardness.

Lizzie was sure his eyes had sparkled. _Anything with you_, she thought. She nodded a little too eagerly for her taste and they headed off to the right.

"So…?" Patrick began.

"So…" Lizzie repeated, not knowing where to start.

"I suppose you want to know if what he said was true?"

Lizzie laughed nervously. _Right_, she thought. She did want to know even though in her heart she already knew it wasn't like Thomas had said. Still she wanted to hear it from Patrick. "No…but…well...yeah."

Patrick took a deep breath. His past was something he never liked thinking about let alone discussing. He watched the pavement underneath his feet as he spoke. "When Marie and I were in secondary school our parents were in a car accident that killed them both instantly." He sighed and looked at her as she brushed away a few strands of hair from her face.

_How tragic_, Lizzie thought. She couldn't imagine not having her own mum around. It was inconceivable to her how it would be to lose both parents as a teen.

"Marie and I were sent to live with our grandmother. She was a kind and patient woman and we loved her dearly. Marie was able to cope better with our parents' death than I was and…well, we had moved to another house and a new school, and I...fell into the wrong crowd. Marie had begged me to stay away from those boys. I didn't listen and...drugs took over my life. I said and did the most awful things."

_Drugs. It was a horrible addiction,_ Lizzie thought. She had dealt with someone who had an equally bad addiction. But it wasn't to drugs.

Patrick shook his head and continued. "I wasn't me. All I could think about was getting more, not caring who I stole from or who I hurt to get it. My grandmother had high blood pressure and a weak heart."

_Oh no_, Lizzie thought. Sadly, she could predict where this was heading.

"The calls that she got from the school, my teachers, and other parents caused her to worry more and gradually her health got worse. Marie and my grandmother insisted that I either get help or get out."

_Get help or get out_. Those were words Lizzie had said before.

"Well...I got out. That night she died from a heart attack." He stopped walking and sadly faced her. His mouth was set in a line and an untold sadness shone in his eyes.

Lizzie gasped; covering her mouth. Tears formed in her eyes as she thought of her own grandmother's passing.

Patrick felt a lump forming in his throat and swallowed. "I wasn't there when she passed away. I wasn't even sober. Not even for her funeral," he told her shaking his head at his former stupidity.

Lizzie wished she could erase the pain from his memory. The guilt that he held inside must've been horrific.

He cleared his throat and blinked back the tears, unable to look at Lizzie. "So…I guess you could say it's true."

Lizzie opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

Patrick's eyes looked glassy and he looked away as he spoke. "Look Lizzie...there's not a day that goes by that I don't feel shame and regret about what I did and who I was. And…I miss her…so much and hope that she forgives me."

Lizzie wiped her tears and sniffled. "Oh Patrick." In an attempt to comfort him she put her hand on his arm. "It wasn't the way Thomas said at all," she soothed.

"I'm a different man now, Lizzie. I'm not dangerous or crazy…" Patrick told her a little defensively.

She shook her head in agreement. "I know you aren't."

"Well then please allow me to still spend time with Frankie."

_What!_ Lizzie thought. _What about me?_ Didn't she fit in somewhere in all of this?

"Frankie?" she asked him feeling a little rejected.

Patrick nodded and Lizzie felt that it was as if to say, _Yer just the mother, Lizzie. Don't_ _need ya._ She removed her hand as though she'd been burned and took a few steps away from Patrick, facing the ocean. Her arms fell to her chest, wrapping around protectively as though it were a shield that would protect her from any pain.

"Frankie?" Lizzie asked again. Patrick didn't understand her confused expression. "Is this what this is all about?" she asked with her voice now raised.

Now Patrick was confused. "Well yeah, Lizzie, I've agreed to stay out of yer life but I don't think Frankie should have to suffer."

Lizzie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She shook her head too upset to respond as she leaned against the railing. With every word that he spoke she wondered how she could've gotten things so wrong. Even the beauty of the moonlight seemed to mock her.

"Lizzie, I just want you to be happy. So if Thomas told you to stay way from me..."

_What!_ Lizzie thought. Did he really think that a man was going to dictate to her how she was going to live her life? _Never again_, she thought bitterly. She turned and faced him and angrily told him, "Listen here, Patrick. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't take orders from any man."

Patrick was taken aback and found himself a little turned on. _Damn, she's pretty when_ _she's angry_, he thought.

Lizzie caught Patrick's surprised but amused expression and it fueled her anger even more. "I'm not a thing to be owned by Davey or Thomas or...anyone!" she huffed. She then realized that Patrick had never been anything but nice to her so she calmly told him, "And that's why Thomas is out of my life now." _Well, sort of_, she thought.

Patrick's eyes flew open wide and Lizzie could tell that Marie hadn't told him like she predicted. She guessed it didn't matter anyway. Lizzie felt foolish. A man like Patrick could have any woman he wanted. How could he not be attached? She sighed; defeated. "Of course I'll let you see Frankie...I just thought…" she trailed off, looking away. "How could I be so stupid? Probably got a girlfriend at every port," she uttered, barely audible; shaking her head.

Patrick wondered how he could not have seen it and realized how clueless he really was about women. He did the only thing he could think of to fix it; the thing that he'd longed to do for months.

With eyes ablaze, Patrick's strong arms grabbed Lizzie and pulled her securely into a bear embrace a little more forceful than he should have, he mused. His arms slid around her back causing ripples of tiny shocks with his touch. Patrick savored the feel of her soft body against his chest. Insistently he pressed his lips onto hers into an earth-shattering kiss hoping to erase any doubt from her mind.

Realizing that the moment she'd been waiting for was finally here, Lizzie wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed herself to revel in the delightful tingles his lips delivered.

Skillfully, he caressed her back sending shivers throughout her body and pulled her in even closer to him wanting to lose himself in all that was her. Lizzie felt they couldn't be close enough. She lost herself there in his arms, in the beating of his heart, and the dizzying scent of his cologne.

Patrick felt that he could die right now a happy man.

Months worth of pent up emotion was now spent upon his forceful action. This was not a romantic kiss. This was an all-consuming kiss that was passion, and longing, and desire. It was exactly what Lizzie needed.

Both of them breathless, they parted from each other and with only their foreheads touching, Lizzie shivered from the rush of emotion.

Patrick assumed she was chilled from the night air and hesitantly stepped back to remove his jacket and carefully placed it upon her shoulders.

To his delight she slid her arms around his waist seeking the warmth and security she'd been shortly deprived of and her eyes captivated his. She sighed softly and for the first time Patrick read the question she posed there.

His face was serious. Patrick whispered huskily to her,"You're the only woman for me, Lizzie Morrison."

His words brought tears to her eyes and she laid her head upon his shoulder. She squeezed him and held him tight; trying not to dwell on the 3 months they had lost. At least they were together now. They stood that way for a long while relishing their new found bond.

It had been a perfect night. Enough had been said for now.They held each other tightly as they walked back to Lizzie's building and she wondered to herself how she had lived without him for this long.

Up in one of the windows, they caught sight of a light on in one of the rooms. Lizzie frowned to herself thinking that her son should be asleep by now. Was that a high five she just saw? The light turned off suddenly. Lizzie shook her head and wondered if she'd imagined it.

At her door they stood facing each other holding hands. It was late, they knew but Patrick didn't want to leave until he had to. _Never let her go again, _his heart seemed to say. He reached down and gently stroked her soft cheek. She closed her eyes and sighed in response, grasping his hand with hers and pressing it to her face. Patrick slowly leaned down and kissed her tenderly, once again leaving her breathless.

"Goodnight Patrick," she said softly. "Until tomorrow."

He nodded, embracing her again. "Until tomorrow, Lizzie."

And as he left her that night, Patrick truly looked forward to the many tomorrows to come.

Lizzie watched him walk down the steps and sighed contentedly. She opened her front door noticing it was dark inside. She closed it and in spite of herself Lizzie leaned her back against it closing it; pulling his jacket tighter around her and slipped her hands into its pockets. It smelled delightfully like him. Caught up in his scent, she closed her eyes and breathed it in. _Awww. Patrick. Patrick_, she thought dreamily.

Bringing her back to reality Lizzie felt a piece of paper in one of the pockets. Curiously, she removed it and opened it. She strained to read the words in the dark.

Lizzie gasped. It was her writing; almost. But these were not her words.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, I hope ya'all are happy now! Lol! Thanks for hanging in there with me. Hope you enjoyed this one. Prepare for some fluff. I'll post the next chapter some time next week. Please comment or review! 


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The sound of the annoying buzz awoke Lizzie the next morning from the best night's sleep she'd had in a long time. She smacked the snooze button on the alarm clock and stretched out in her bed like a cat awakening from a luxurious nap. Her thoughts quickly drifted to Patrick. She'd dreamt of him all night and smiled to herself recalling the events that took place the night before.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of the white piece of paper sitting next to her lamp. _Oh right, _she thought. She narrowed her eyes and wondered what had possessed her mother to write this note. Soon, it would be time to confront the author.

Lizzie gently shook Frankie awake. She smiled tenderly at his sleeping form. He was going to be so excited that Patrick and Lizzie were together. She shook him again a little harder until the boy looked up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Time to get up, Frankie."

Nell sat peacefully at the kitchen table smoking a cigarette and sipping on her coffee cup as she read a tabloid.

Dressed in a robe, hair disheveled; Lizzie entered the kitchen and smiled at her mother.

"Good morning, Mother."

"Good morning, Lizzie. Late night?" Nell asked her with a smirk knowing full well when her daughter arrived back home the night before.

"You could say that," Lizzie responded coolly as she grabbed a pan and cooking spray.

Nell knew it to be true because she and Frankie had spied them strolling down their block holding each other from Frankie's window. Frankie had been so excited that he actually said 'Yay' out loud and high-fived her. Once they realized they may had been seen Nell abruptly turned off the light.

Her eyes still trained on her tabloid, Nell took another puff of her cigarette and asked Lizzie in an impassive tone, "So how did your meeting go with Patrick?" As if she couldn't guess. She knew she had been partly responsible for setting the wheels in motion. It wasn't as though she could stand by idly and watch her daughter suffer needlessly. She'd witnessed enough of Lizzie's brooding. Nell had already become accepting of Patrick and found his intentions to be honorable.And clearly she could see just how he felt about her daughter.

"It was fine," Lizzie replied simply while cracking eggs into the frying pan.

Nell didn't want to pry but was quickly getting impatient with her daughter's lack of response.

The two women stayed silent waiting for the other to speak first.

Lizzie was determined not to be the one to speak first feeling like in this small way she was punishing her mother because of her interference.

Nell put out her cigarette and tapped her fingers on the table while Lizzie hummed happily flipping the eggs with the spatula.

Nell cleared her throat, turning the pages loudly wondering how long Lizzie's silence would prevail and how much more she could take.

With a smirk, Lizzie hummed a new song letting the fried eggs slide off the pan onto a plate.

Frustrated with her daughter's unwillingness to communicate, Nell tapped her foot loudly and annoyingly slurped her coffee.

Lizzie danced the plate to the table and sang, "And he'll come down on a great white horse, and he'll bring me love that I've been longing for."

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Lizzie!" Nell snapped. "Are you going to tell me what happened already!"

Lizzie smiled victoriously at her mother.

"Oh so curious!" Lizzie baited grabbing a fork and a napkin.

Frankie strode in to the kitchen with a knowing smile on his face. He gave a confused Lizzie a hug and held out his hand palm up for her to give him a low five.

Lizzie observed his curious behavior and slapped his hand realizing at once that she hadn't imagined him at the window. The light had been on and he _had_ been there watching.

Nell having witnessed Frankie blowing their cover put her fingers to her forehead and shook her head.

Lizzie turned Frankie around facing the table and pulled out his chair for him to sit.

"Well, Mother, if you really want to know, why not just ask Frankie?"

Nell pursed her lips knowing that Lizzie wouldn't tell her until she was good and ready.

Lizzie smiled to herself and turned around to go get showered. As an afterthought, she spun around and faced the two dead on. She pulled the note from her pocket holding it up with her thumb and index fingers so they could see the writing.

"Perhaps one of you can explain this."

* * *

Marie busily arranged the cigarettes on the shelf and wondered how the previous night's meeting had gone. 

Lizzie walked in and greeted Marie with a smile and rushed to the back to retrieve her apron. Lizzie brought out clean silverware and started setting the tables.

"So?" Marie asked questioningly. "How did it go, Lizzie?"

"Everybody wants to know," Lizzie replied teasingly. "Didn't Patrick tell ya?"

"My brother?" Marie said incredulously. "He never tells me anything!"

Lizzie inspected the napkin holders. "Marie? Did Patrick really leave the phone message for me?" she asked curiously looking at Marie.

Marie's eyes became wide. "I...uh..." she stammered.

Lizzie decided to let her off the hook. "I know about the note. It's okay. I'm not angry about it."

Marie smiled sheepishly. "No, he didn't. But I'll tell ya I was just an accomplice."

Lizzie nodded her head having learned from her mother's confession just whose idea it had been. Catriona. Frankie's friend had come up with it and convinced Frankie to carry it through with help, of course. Everyone seemed to be in on it, except her and Patrick.

Lizzie couldn't help feeling grateful despite the deceptiveness of her mother and son. If not for them who knows if they would've come together on their own?

"Please don't tell him, Lizzie," Marie said pleadingly as she wiped the front counter.

Lizzie looked questioningly at her friend.

"Patrick's a very private person. The last person who got into his business...well..." Marie trailed off shuddering.

"What?"

"He got thrown overboard."

Lizzie knit her brows and gaped at Marie.

The sound of the door opening startled them and a smiling Patrick strode purposefully over to Lizzie. Her face lit up as he proceeded to grab her and kiss her lifting her high in the air and twirling Lizzie around. She still couldn't believe that they were finally together.

Marie's eyes flew wide open at this sight and she chuckled. "Went as well as all that then," she said to herself.

"Good morning, Lizzie," Patrick said after he put her down; kissing her affectionately on the cheek.

"Good morning," Lizzie replied shyly, finding herself quite swept away by his actions.

"Good morning," Marie cut in waving; feeling she needed to make her presence known.

Patrick smiled to Marie. "It is a beautiful morning," he announced. Patrick looked back at Lizzie. "Will you go out with me tomorrow night?"

Marie silently observed the scene; chin on hands, with her elbows on the counter very charmed by all of it.

"Well...I…Yes. Our first date?" Lizzie replied feeling a little weak in the knees by the gleam in his eyes.

Patrick stroked her hair and nodded. "Our first date."

They gazed at each other transfixed by each other's presence.

Marie interrupted their spell. "Uh hello, Patrick?"

"Mmmm?" he responded lost in Lizzie's eyes.

"Remember...the party…next weekend? Why don't we invite Lizzie?"

Snapping out of it Patrick looked at Marie. "Oh…the party. Lizzie, will you come?"

Lizzie was puzzled. She looked from Patrick to Marie.

"I'm throwing a birthday/welcome home party for Patrick at my flat. It'll be small. Ally's band will play. There'll be drinks and fun and my hot tub. You have to come!" Marie told her excitedly. She had wanted to invite Lizzie all along but wasn't sure how things were between her and her brother.

Lizzie shrugged happily, "Sounds like fun."

Patrick pulled his hand from Lizzie's waist hesitantly. "I'm going for my jog and to run some errands. Just wanted to pop in and say good morning."

Lizzie smiled up at him, already missing the warmth of his arms and wished he didn't have to leave. "I'm so glad ya did."

Patrick couldn't resist himself. He grabbed her, pulling her into a bear embrace. Lizzie reveled in the secure feeling of his strong chest and nestled her cheek against his shoulder. The two clung contentedly to each other as though to make up for lost time.

Marie, beginning to become uncomfortable, looked away as she set out for something else to do.

"Have lunch with me," Patrick whispered in Lizzie's ear.

"Yes." Without a feeling of hesitation, Lizzie answered quickly.

"I'll see ya then," he said, gazing into her eyes. Unable to resist, Patrick planted a kiss gently on Lizzie's lips which quickly turned into a deeper, more passionate one.

Marie cleared her throat and averted her eyes. She cleared her throat again. "Um hello?"

The two with their lips interlocked seemed not to hear her.

Marie became impatient. "Enough you two! Yer steaming up my shop!"

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the fluff! More still to come. As usual, please review! 


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Patrick and Lizzie enjoyed a romantic dinner at a popular, seaside Italian restaurant that held the most amazing view of the ocean. Their conversation had been light and they spoke easily as they enjoyed their food and each other's company. The two gazed upon each other oblivious to the rest of the world.

"Would you like to walk along the beach?" Patrick asked Lizzie upon departing the restaurant opening the door for her.

Lizzie nodded agreeably and the two made their way to the sand.

"So tell me about yourself, Lizzie Morrison." Patrick requested as he held her.

Lizzie smiled up at him. "What do you want to know?" she asked with a glint in her eye.

Patrick looked up at the bright stars that seemed to shine only for them. "I want to know everything there is to know about you. But for now, let's start with how you met Frankie's father."

Lizzie looked uncertainly at him. "Alright….We met in secondary school. We had the same math class for two years…." She stopped and looked up at him. "Are ya sure ya really want to hear this?"

Patrick realized this may be a hard subject for Lizzie. He felt he had already shared something painful with her. Beginning here might tell him more about the person she really is.

He nodded. "I really do." He told her as he squeezed her tightly.

Lizzie took a deep breath and caressed his back as they walked. "He had teased me all through secondary school." She said shaking her head. "Eleventh year, he changed. He matured, I guess, because he began to be nice and I took to it because when I was in school, I didn't have a boyfriend."

"Oh I doubt that." Patrick chuckled.

"No, it's true. Boys didn't so much as give me a second look…so naturally when Davey was nice to me and all I fell for him. So we became a couple and were together all the time. Davey, at that time, was very charming. After we graduated he had big plans. Davey was going to go to college to study engineering. I had a job at a fast food place and considered going to a beauty college. But then, I became pregnant and Davey proposed. So here we were two teenagers sort of forced to grow up all at once."

Lizzie watched the sand as they kicked it up with their shoes. "We married in a small church and lived with my parents at first. It was difficult because my daddy didn't like Davey. He never did. Daddy had told me that I could never be happy with him. So he and Davey argued often. Davey worked more hours so we could afford our own place. We moved into a tiny flat in a terrible neighborhood when I was about 4 months pregnant. My hours became less and less the closer I got to giving birth and Davey worked more hours to compensate. After Frankie was born, I didn't work anymore. When Davey was home, he drank. The more time that passed, the more he drank."

"Ohhh…so he was an alcoholic." Patrick said; figuring where this was going.

Lizzie spotted a seashell and bent down to pick it up. "Right. It became a problem when Frankie was about 6 months old. Davey became a violent drunk. He hadn't hurt Frankie though…..only me. I begged him to stop drinking and it made him more angry. I told him I would leave him if he didn't get help. I should've left a lot sooner." She told him regretfully circling the smooth surface of the shell with her finger. "I felt like one of those pathetic,abused women who wouldn't leave because she loves her husband…but it was more than that. He was Frankie's father….and I was afraid of trying to make it on my own with a baby." Lizzie told him as she laid the seashell back on the sand.

"Did ya ever call the police?"

Lizzie stood up and they strolled again. "No..no. I didn't want to do that. I didn't feel like they could really help me. My mother knew what was going on without my even telling her. You see, my father was an alcoholic and was abusive towards my mother. Even though I never saw him do anything, I saw the bruises and the cuts on her. It's very sad how history repeats itself." Lizzie sighed.

Patrick nodded sympathetically taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. "My father died when Frankie was about a year old so that left my mother with more time to worry about us. She told me over and over to leave him and stay with her. By that time, Davey had threatened to find me and kill me if we ever did. So I was always scared."

Hearing those words angered Patrick. He felt helpless to do anything but comfort her. Patrick closed his eyes and gathered Lizzie in his arms caressing her back gently with his fingers.

"I had never seen him lay a finger on Frankie though." Lizzie continued. "We had bought a car and I had to take it to get registered. I left Frankie with him…" Lizzie trailed off, recalling the painful memory and shuddered.

"It's okay, Lizzie, you don't have to…." Patrick told her kissing her on her head.

"No, I do." she told him training her eyes on one particular clump of stars."I left Frankie with him….just the one time…alone with him…I came home." Lizzie felt a lump in her throat. "I came home, as I unlocked the door, I could hear Frankie screaming." Lizzie blinked back the tears and looked down at the speckled sand. "So I rushed in to find my son laying there on the floor with blood coming out his ears. He'd had bruises all around his eyes…" A sob escaped from her. "and Davey was passed out on the floor." She said; angry now at Davey and at herself.

Patrick wiped tears from her eyes and felt the rage building up inside at the man who had caused all this pain.

Lizzie pulled away still holding his arm and they continued walking. She pushed some strands away from her eyes and took a deep breath. "So I called my mum. She helped us get out and took us to the emergency room. There they questioned how it happened and I was forced to file a police report and a restraining order. They went and arrested him. Every day after I heard he got out of jail I was frightened. I was more afraid for Frankie. Our lives the next 8 and a half years consisted of moving from town to town. Every now and then I would think that I would see him here or there or hear his voice; like a ghost and then we would leave again."

Patrick's brows were knit. He hated to think that Lizzie and Frankie had to suffer so much. "How did you survive?" he asked her, his turquoise eyes full of sympathy.

Lizzie gave him a half smile. "The court awarded me full custody and ordered Davey to pay child support. So I gave the courts a post office box he could send money to but I never expected anything. I just wanted him out of my life and to not be scared anymore." she shrugged.

"While my mother watched Frankie I took any sort of job I could. I've done just about everything. I've worked in offices, banks, restaurants, video stores." She recalled. "I've tended bar, driven cabs, done telemarketing. I've even worked in a bakery!" She laughed at the memories. "The problem was I would become comfortable doing one job and then we'd up and leave again. Also, my mother helped us with the money from my daddy's life insurance but I insisted she hold onto that money so long as I could work. One day when I was working at the bakery, I heard mention of Davey. A customer was telling another that Davey had fallen ill. Ever since then my mother scoured the newspapers for the obituaries. She knew that we wouldn't be safe until she read his name there……. and the rest you know."

Patrick looked at her with a serious expression. "It must've been very difficult."

"Yes, it was." she told him but then smiled."Things are different now. I finally have peace." Lizzie told Patrick laying her head on his shoulder.

"Okay here's another question."

Lizzie sighed and closed her eyes emotionally drained from the memories she had just recalled. "Yes?"

"What's yer favorite color?"

* * *

"Okay Frankie. Enough." Patrick told him. 

Frankie wrote it down. E n o u g h

Patrick smiled approvingly. "Very good. Now try saying it. E," He told him forming his lips into a smile.

Frankie imitated, "E." making the sound.

"N," Patrick enunciated with teeth closed; pushing the top of his tongue against the back of his teeth.

Frankie imitated, "nnnn,"

Patrick was pleased. Frankie had made a lot of progress with Catriona and was very willing to practice.

"Okay now watch my tongue. Uh uh uh."

Lizzie walked in the door pleasantly surprised to find Patrick at the kitchen table working with Frankie.

Frankie uttered the sound. "uhhhhh"

Lizzie smiled; delighted to hear sounds coming from her son's mouth. She walked to Frankie patting him on the back and gave him a peck on the cheek as she hung her purse on the chair. She winked at Patrick as he continued.

"fffff," Patrick made the "f" sound as he demonstrated the sound with his upper teeth touching his bottom lip.

"fff," Frankie uttered following suit.

"Now altogether, Frankie. Ee nn uu ff." Patrick told him demonstrating the mouth movements.

"E n uuuf." Frankie copied.

Lizzie let out a delighted squeal, clapped and hugged him. "That was great, Frankie!"

Frankie smiled proudly as he watched his mother enthusiastically hug Patrick.

Frankie genuinely enjoyed every moment Patrick spent with him. Patrick made him feel important and Frankie was eager to please. Frankie was very happy that his and Catriona's plan had worked. He'd never seen his mum so happy.

"Excellent Frankie, you should get 100 percent on your spelling test tomorrow." Patrick told him and glanced up at the clock. "I'd better get going. Marie's expecting me. See ya tomorrow on the field, Frankie." Patrick told him getting up from the table. Frankie rose from the chair and embraced him.

Lizzie grinned at the sight. She couldn't imagine now ever feeling hesitant about Patrick and Frankie. It was as though they needed each other. Indeed that was the way she felt now about these two.

Frankie headed to his room as Lizzie walked Patrick to the door. "It's too bad you have to leave." She told him sadly with a pout pulling him into an embrace.

"I feel the same way." Patrick told her pulling her in tighter. They walked out shutting the door behind them.

Patrick found himself mesmerized by her eyes as she gazed up at him. He saw something there he'd never seen before. Lizzie reached up and laced her fingers together around his neck pulling him down for a tender kiss.

Lizzie hesitantly pulled away from his lips because she knew Marie was waiting and ignored the feelings of desire he incited within her. "See ya tomorrow, Patrick." She told him sweetly blowing him a kiss.

"See ya tomorrow, Lizzie." _I love you,_ he thought. Patrick didn't voice his feelings because they'd only been together for a week and he didn't want to scare Lizzie with his strong emotions; not that he was ever good at expressing himself. In fact he found himself to be quite the opposite. He kissed her on the nose and tore himself away from her. As he walked down the steps he realized what it was he saw in her eyes. It was his future.

* * *

A/N: Still more to come. Hang in there with me. I know it sounds final but it ain't over till it's over. I would love to hear what you think! 


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Read it….I just can't." Patrick told Lizzie shaking his head; handing her the anticipated envelope and wiping sweaty palms on his pants.

Marie stood on the other side of Patrick anxiously waiting to hear the results of the letter.

Lizzie took the envelope and noticed his pale expression. She tore it open from the side, tilted it, and the letter slid slowly out onto her palm.

Patrick took a deep breath. Lizzie began to unfold the paper but then hesitated.

"Listen, Patrick, no matter what it says, you're going to be alright."

"Absolutely." Marie agreed. "And you still have us." She told him putting her arm through his.

Lizzie nodded sincerely. Patrick motioned for her to open it and Lizzie read aloud;

_Dear Mr. Connelly:_

_  
Thank you so much for your interest in Glasgow Fire Department. We are pleased to inform you that you have scored 99 on your oral exam. Congratulations. Pending successful completion of a background investigation, drug testing, polygraph test, and our 4 week in-house fire academy, you will then be eligible for hire._

_Please contact Julie in personnel for testing and fittings. The fire academy begins Monday, May 1 at 8:00am at Station 33. The academy will be in session Monday through Friday from 8-5 and will end June 1. Please be on time. We wish you the best of luck._

_Sincerely,_

_Chief James MacDougal_

Lizzie and Marie squealed their congratulations to a shocked Patrick.

Marie excitedly called out to her customers seated at the table, "Did ya hear that? My brother's going to be a firefighter!" Marie was very proud of Patrick and pulled him into an embrace.

Lizzie enthusiastically joined their embrace. Patrick didn't respond. He still stood there frozen;astounded by the good news.

"Patrick?" Lizzie asked, becoming concerned. "Are you alright?"

Patrick looked at Lizzie like a deer caught in headlights and silently pulled her into the back room.

"I'm so proud of you." She told him embracing him and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Patrick's face was serious and he looked down. "What if….what if I don't pass, Lizzie?"

Lizzie looked at him disbelievingly. "Of course you'll pass! And you'll be the best firefighter Glasgow's ever seen!"

Until that moment Patrick had not realized how lucky he was to have a woman like Lizzie. She'd broken up with Thomas who could've given her everything she wanted and accepted Patrick when he had nothing to give. Nothing but his heart. And she'd willingly accepted it and hadn't asked for more.

Then it hit him. _Everyone deserves a second chance, _he had told the panel. As Patrick held Lizzie, he saw that in her beautiful, brown eyes that with her by his side there wasn't anything he couldn't do.

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Patrick," Ally told Patrick shaking his hand and handing him a beer with the other. 

Patrick smiled at his old friend. "Thanks Ally. It's great that you got your band here to play."

"You think you might sing with us this time, Pat?"

"Naw….I'm a little rusty. It's been a while since I've done karaoke." Patrick told him opening his beer.

"Heh heh karaoke! Those were the good old days, huh?" Ally told him with a laugh.

"I'll take a rain check, though." Patrick said but was interrupted by Marie.

"Time to sing Happy Birthday! Come here, Birthday Boy!"

Patrick stood looking embarrassed between Marie and Lizzie at the table in front of the cake.

The group chorused, "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Patrick, Happy Birthday to you."

"And many more." Marie and Lizzie sang in unison.

Patrick blew out the candles that read 3 and 8 as everyone applauded. "Thank you so much, Marie for having this party for me. I don't deserve it." He ignored Marie's protests and continued, holding up his beer. "Thank you to everybody for coming and enjoy!"

Lizzie assisted Marie with slicing and serving the cake.

An attractive, scantily clad, blond woman with large green eyes approached Patrick backing him into a corner. Lizzie eyed her suspiciously, noticing thatthe woman'sblouse was a little too low cut and her skirt was a little too short.

"Hey Sailor." The blond greeted putting her hand flirtatiously on Patrick's chest and sipping on her drink.

"Er…hello Gretchen," Patrick replied backing away from her and glancing nervously at Lizzie who was occupied helping Marie.

"I was so happy to hear that you retired from sailing." She told him getting closer to him. "And now Marie tells me you're starting the fire academy. How exciting." She purred.

Lizzie watched disbelievingly as she tried to keep up with Marie's slicing. "Marie, who is that!" She whispered jealously to Marie. Lizzie wanted to know why this blond woman was all over her Patrick.

Marie continued serving and glanced over at Gretchen and Patrick; raising an eyebrow.

"Oh that's Gretchen. She and Patrick went out a couple of times."

Lizzie narrowed her eyes at the sight and imagined what she could do with the cake knife.

"That's right. The academy begins first thing Monday morning." Patrick replied looking for a way out.

Gretchen slid her fingers up to Patrick's hair. "Maybe you'd like to join me in the hot tub?" she asked suggestively.

"Cake?" Lizzie asked standing behind Gretchen with an irritated smile holding a plate.

"Thank you." Patrick said gratefully to Lizzie moving to her side away from Gretchen accepting Lizzie's offering.

Gretchen laughed. "Oh no, thank you." She turned from Lizzie and faced Patrick. "So as I was saying…"

"Have you met Lizzie?" Patrick interrupted.

"No….I haven't." Gretchen said, her expression changing to annoyance.

"Gretchen, this is Lizzie. Lizzie is my…er." Patrick stammered, looking at Lizzie wondering if he should use the word they hadn't discussed.

"Girlfriend." Lizzie added helpfully with a smile.

Patrick, pleased with this affirmation beamed his approval at Lizzie. "Right. Girlfriend." He told her looking into Lizzie's eyes.

Gretchen's expression of annoyance changed to surprise. "Pleasure to meet you, Lizzie."

Lizzie nodded to her. "I'll see you later, Patrick." Lizzie's back was to Gretchen as she slithered away and folded three fingers putting her thumb to her ear and pinky towards her mouth making the 'call me' signal to him.

Patrick was relieved that it went unnoticed. He didn't want Lizzie to see Gretchen as a threat.

"Happy Birthday, Patrick." Lizzie told him. She reached up to kiss him and he eagerly responded. Then remembering, she pulled away. "I have something for you."

Patrick surprisedly told her, "Lizzie, you didn't have to…"

"I wanted to, Patrick. Besides it's nothing big or expensive." Lizzie told him pulling him away from the livingroom to a closet where the package was hidden.

"Are you kidding, Lizzie? It's enough that yer here and we're together." Patrick told her as she presented him with an attractively wrapped package no larger than a shoebox."

"Can we do this privately?" Lizzie asked him a little self-conscious about the contents.

"Right." He told her feeling touched by her thoughtfulness. Patrick took her hand and led her into his room.

Lizzie entered Patrick's room and liked it immediately. The walls were a light, brown color and many family pictures hung from there seeming toreveal the stories of their lives. Lizzie walked around the room with a smile inspecting the various photos. She came upon one that looked like Patrick when he was younger, dressed in a naval uniform with a serious expression on his face.

"This is you?"

Patrick watched amusedly as Lizzie observed the pictures. "Yes. That was a picture of me when I was in the Merchant Navy."

Lizzie giggled. "Very handsome. So serious." She commented. "How long were you with the Merchant Navy?"

"Twelve years." He told her walking up behind herand slipping his arm around her waist. "I was nineteen years old. Then after so many years I decided I enjoyed sailing but I wanted more freedom and went into doing various assignments for private companies."

Lizzie found another picture of two young men in uniform standing beside each other with thumbs up. "Who is this?" she asked him noting the familiarity in the other man's face.

"That's Bob, my best friend and I when we served together." Patrick recalled fondly. Those were good times.

Lizzie nodded. "He was your best friend? I thought he was a friend of Marie's."

"Aye, he was more than a friend. At one time they were very serious. Bobby's a sailor at heart, though unfortunately for Marie."

"She seems happy now with Ally."

Patrick nodded. "Ally's a good man otherwise I never would have introduced him to Marie. They are very happy."

"How did you meet him?"

Patrick looked up recalling the memory. "Ally's a longshoreman. I would come off my ship and would see Ally all the time working and one night we ended up at the same bar when I was on shore leave and for a laugh, sang karaoke." He laughed to himself. "Aye and it was funny. That was many years ago."

Lizzie smiled at the picture in her mind. "So? Do you want to open your gift?"

Patrick smiled in return and looked down at the package in his hands. He tore at the wrapping opening it with his finger.

Lizzie suddenly became worried. "It's nothing much, Patrick."

He freed the contents from its wrapping to behold an attractive framed portrait of Lizzie and Frankie.It was of Lizzie sitting down with a small smile and Frankie standing next to her, leaning his arm on her shoulder. They both looked happy. He tried to imagine himself standing there opposite Frankie.He held up the frame to look at it closely, dropping the envelope underneath.

Lizzie's eyes darted nervously to the fallen envelope as Patrick admired the photo.

Patrick was touched. Here in this picture were two people he cared a great deal for and now he finally had a picture to call his own. He knew he would treasure it always.

He embraced Lizzie. "I love this. This is a great photo. I'm going to keep it next to my bed," he told her happily as he walked toward his nightstand accidentally stepping on the envelope. Patrick heard the crunch from the paper and looked down at it. "What's this?"

He knelt down to pick it up.

Lizzie looked down feeling her face starting to redden. "It's nothing, really."

Patrick looked down at the envelope that had his name on it in Lizzie's handwriting. The envelope was thick and he wondered about the contents.

Patrick put the envelope up to his nose pleased by the scent of it and smiled. Opening the envelope he noticed that Lizzie wouldn't face him. He wondered why. He removed the papers from its packaging and gasped; looking at Lizzie. His heart pounded and he was profoundly moved by her gift. "Oh Lizzie…..I can't believe it."

* * *

A/N: Awwww! _Another_ cliffie! Bad author, _bad _author! Not to worry, I'll post again soon enough. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_October 28, 2005_

_Dear Stranger,_

_I can't thank you enough for everything you did for Frankie and I. Frankie had written a letter to you. He knows you weren't his real dad. He didn't tell me how he knew. We've talked about it and he now knows about his father. Since then, I've learned that he's very ill. _

_I am very grateful to you for what you did. Frankie was very happy about the time you spent with him. It was very generous of you to give back the money. That tells me that maybe something had changed between us. Did you feel it too? _

_Marie told me that you are her brother. That makes me happy because I know someday I'll see you again. I'm hoping that soon your ship will sail here and we could try to pick up where we left off. This sounds silly, I realize. I don't even know you. I think of you often and wish you a safe voyage home._

_Waiting in Glasgow,_

_Lizzie_

Patrick folded that letter up still shaking his head in disbelief. He'd already read this at least 3 times but still found himself caught up in a whir of emotions upon reading her words from a week after he'd sailed. He unfolded the next one.

_November 9, 2005_

_Dear Stranger,_

_Sorry for addressing you this way. I long to know your real name but am too embarrassed to ask Marie. Frankie's daddy passed away. You can't imagine the relief I feel inside. I can finally make a home here for myself and Frankie can have some stability._

_You've been away for two weeks now and I can't stop thinking about you. I stare at the picture of you and Frankie quite often. I wonder what the future can hold for us. How long do you sail for? Does it vary? I can't believe I'm writing these things to you. Maybe it's because I know you'll never read this. _

_Take care of yourself. Please know that Frankie and I will long for the day your ship will dock here again. _

_Fondly,_

_Lizzie_

Patrick shuddered from the raw emotion he read in her letter. The other five or six correspondences laid on his bed. They all said similar things only with updates on Lizzie's and Frankie's lives.

He couldn't believe how his own letters to Lizzie had sounded so much like these. They held the same emotion and longing.

_If only,_ he thought, _she had mailed him a letter_. If only he had mailed _her_ one, they very well may have saved themselves a lot of trouble. _But that wasn't important anymore_, he thought as he stifled a yawn.

He glanced at the clock noticing the late hour. Patrick had enjoyed the party but the highlight for him had been Lizzie's special gifts.

Laying down on his bed Patrick gazed fondly upon the framed picture there then shut off his lamp recalling Lizzie's surprised expression when he presented her with her own stack of letters. It was obvious now to him that in all actuality he and Lizzie were quite similar. They'd both had pasts that they had run from. Once they faced them, they found themselves together. Three words that he had told Frankie now came to mind. _We're all connected._

* * *

"I can't accept this, ya know." Patrick told Marie the next day after she'd presented him with his birthday present; a used, blue 2000 Toyota pick-up truck. 

"Sure ya can." Marie told him as they all sat on her sofa. "You'll need it for transportation to the fire academy." Lizzie nodded in agreement.

"Marie…the truck…it's too much. I thank you but I really can't accept it." Patrick told her insistently.

"C'mon Patrick." Marie argued. "It's not even brand new. A friend of Ally's sold it to me…It was a bargain."

Lizzie silently watched the two go back and forth about it. They had been at this for more than half an hour.

"What about all the money you've sent me?" Marie demanded, fearing she was fighting a losing battle.

Patrick shook his head stubbornly and got up from the sofa, headed for the kitchen. Lizzie cocked her head to the side and rolled her eyes.

"Will ya please just listen to me, Patty?" Marie pleaded.

Patrick stopped short, turned around, and glared at Marie. He silently wondered how many times he had told his sister not to call him by _that_ name. Just the mention of it was enough to make his blood boil. "Marie." He told her gruffly with a warning.

Lizzie couldn't stand watching Patrick be so unreasonable. "Aw c'mon Patty, just accept the bloody truck already!"

Patrick's attention angrily turned to Lizzie upon hearing the dreaded name from his childhood coming out of her sweet mouth. He responded with an angry calm.

"Oh no," Patrick told Lizzie disbelievingly, shaking his head. "You didn't just….call…me…_that_."

Marie's eyes opened widely and watched helplessly from her brother to Lizzie.

She knew _that_ look.

Lizzie was enjoying this. With a smirk, she told him, "What's wrong? Can't handle being called _Patty_?" she asked him teasingly with her lips formed in a pout.

Marie gasped. This could be bad, she thought. "Lizzie…no….don't." she told her seriously, shaking her head.

Patrick's mouth was set in a line. "Listen to Marie, Lizzie."

Lizzie found that she couldn't help herself and stood up from the sofa challenging him. "Patty."

In a flash, Patrick closed the distance between himself and Lizzie. He picked Lizzie up by her waist and threw her over his shoulder as effortlessly as though she were a sack of potatoes.

"Patrick!" Marie called out following him. "Put her down!"

Lizzie pounded her fists on Patrick's back. "Patrick Connelly! Put me down! Put me down this second." She hissed.

Patrick gave Marie a look of warning to not interfere and opened the door to the backyard and slammed it shut behind them leaving his sister to watch helplessly through the window. Unfazed by Lizzie's fists and screaming he caught sight of the hot tub. He climbed the steps and calmly rearranged Lizzie into a cradle position holding her threateningly over the bubbling water.

Lizzie ceased her screaming and simply stared up into his turquoise eyes pleadingly. Patrick was immediately transfixed by the look in her eyes and leaned his head down to kiss her. Lizzie eagerly returned his kiss impressed with his passion and a little disturbed by his temper.

Patrick lifted his head up and gazed tenderly into her eyes stroking her forehead with his thumb. Breathlessly he asked, "Lizzie?"

"Yes, Patrick?" Lizzie whispered captivated by his lips feeling that at this moment there wasn't anything she could deny him.

"Don't _ever_ call me Patty again." He told her softly and released her from his hold allowing her to drop fully clothed into the warm water.

Marie gaped as she observed passively through the window. Lizzie had stood up in the hot tub; fully soaked, coughing and sputtering, and looked at Patrick as though she were going to cry.

Patrick leaned over to the edge looking regretfully at her when Lizzie pulled him into the water with her, resulting in a big splash. Lizzie pointed and laughed at Patrick as he came up soaking wet. He looked at her annoyed, gaping, but then grabbed her and kissed her.Patrick and Lizzie stayed like that oblivious to Marie and the rest of the world.

_Those two_, Marie thought, _were like Siamese twins joined at the lips_. She smiled and shook her head; opening up the window. She couldn't recall ever seeing her brother so happy.

"Oh you two! Get a room!" Marie called out, half jokingly and left the window to get towels.

In fact, Patrick would've liked that very much. But he couldn't. No, he _wouldn't_. He'd been with many women before Lizzie but he refused to make love to her until it would be just that, making love. He'd found himself to be a romantic at heart and knew that something as special as this would require his utmost patience. Patrick knew that Lizzie was willing and he didn't know how much longer that he could resist her. But he did know that it wouldn't be before she said those three words he longed to hear.

* * *

A/N: Well, there ya go...didn't make you wait too long! Please forgive my twisted sense of humor, but I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading it! 


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

It had been a bad day for Lizzie so far. She'd woken up late because she'd forgotten to set her alarm the night before causing her and Frankie to be late. She'd burned the eggs she'd hurriedly cooked and spilled coffee all over her jeans. A customer had been rude to her and yelled when Lizzie forgot to return his change. Her cash drawer had been short. _And __now this,_ she thought with dread looking at the spilled mess of pickled eggs all over the floor and broken glass all around it.

Lizzie carefully wiped and swept; clearing the mess and sprayed air freshener to cover the smell only to find that now she smelled of pickled eggs.

The only thing that cheered her up was that she would see Patrick during her lunch.

For the past two weeks Patrick had been very busy with the classroom portion of the fire academy. He'd been occupied with homework afterward and hadn't had much time to spend with her. Lizzie fondly recalled how adorable Patrick and Frankie looked sitting there at her kitchen table doing their homework. Still he spent any time he could with her and Lizzie was eager to help him study and prepare.

The next two weeks of the academy they were practicing their skills outdoors. Lizzie glanced at her watch, collected her lunch, and rushed to the abandoned building he would be at a few blocks away.

She arrived at the old building that was about fifteen stories high and spotted Patrick and the rest of his class. Lizzie took a seat on the bleachers that were put there for the class and observed as she set her lunch down. Quickly she spotted Patrick in a group of about twenty five men off to the far right side of the building. The trainees were in 2 lines, practicing carrying a dummy up the ladders, shifting them at the tenth story and climbing back down again. Lizzie noticed that they were wearing their turnouts, helmet and a pack on their backs. Lizzie furrowed her eyebrows at the sight of it. It looked very uncomfortable.

The sun was beating down on her and she couldn't imagine how warm these men must've been with all their gear. Lizzie caught sight of Patrick who was now trudging up the ladder quickly, and faster than the trainee on the other ladder, she observed.

Lizzie smiled to herself admiring how handsome he looked. She knew she was far gone.Somehow and at some point she had found herself crazy in love with him. Lizzie wasn't sure of when it happened or how. She only knew that she couldn't live without him.

Her thoughts drifted to the letters. She shook her head recalling how wrong she'd been about him. She'd nearly sobbed upon reading his words that had sounded so much like her own. Lizzie wanted to tell Patrick that she loved him but she was afraid. It had only been three weeks and she felt that it may be too soon.

She'd desperately wanted to be intimate with him but he wasn't receptive. At first she thought that maybe he was just old-fashioned. But when she considered Gretchen, Patrick had told her the truth about what went on between them, it made Lizzie feel worse. It left her feeling as though he wasn't attracted to her or didn't care for her as much as she did for him. _So, maybe it was too soon_, she thought and she certainly was not going to be the first one to say I love you. It had been many years since she'd said those words to a man. Lizzie had thought she would never say them again.

"So you're here to watch them too?"

Lizzie, lost in her thoughts, hadn't noticed that a group of about 5 or 6 women had gathered and sat in the bleachers with her watching the men admiringly. Lizzie looked up at the woman with jet black hair and blue eyes who was about her age, she guessed.

"Huh?"

"Are you here to watch the firefighters train?" the attractive woman asked as the other women gawked at the men.

Caught by surprise, Lizzie responded, "No….I…uh…."

The woman smiled at her. "It's alright. We've been coming for the last two days to watch them." She told Lizzie gesturing to the rest of the admirers. "During our lunch hour we make it out here as quickly as possible. It's quite…" She cleared her throat. "entertaining." The black-haired woman told her nodding with eyebrows raised.

Feeling her cheeks reddening Lizzie told her, "No….I'm here because I'm going to meet my boyfriend."_Boyfriend_. Lizzie liked the sound of that.

"Lucky girl!" the woman told her enthusiastically. "Which one is he?"

Lizzie looked over and noticed that the group had broken up and now Patrick was walking toward her. He looked every bit the hero as he removed his fire helmet and smiled happily at her.

"Look girls, it's _him_." Another woman with light brown hair said excitedly pointing.

"He's walking this way!"

"That's _my_ boyfriend." Lizzie told them in a stand-offish tone and stood up as Patrick neared her.

Patrick pulled Lizzie close and kissed her. "Hello Lizzie," he told her wiping his forehead. "Sorry, I'm all sweaty." Lizzie shook her head and Patrick noticed the other women there and smiled. "Made some friends?"

The women looked away.

Lizzie cleared her throat, picked up her lunch, and put her arm through his. She wanted to lead him as far away from those women as she could. When they were out of earshot she asked him, "You've got a little fan club?" Lizzie asked a little jealously.

He shrugged and kissed her on the cheek. "I don't know who those women are, Lizzie. I thought they were wives or girlfriends of my classmates." He smiled at her with his eyes twinkling. "I'm so glad you came." He told her jovially as she leaned her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arm around him possessively as they walked. "Lizzie?"

"Mmmmm?" she asked him dreamily.

"Why do you smell like eggs?"

* * *

"I'm going to ask her to marry me." 

"That's great! I'm so happy for you." Patrick told Ally shaking his hand.

"So yer okay with it, eh Patrick?" Ally looked nervous.

"Of course. Marie loves ya." Patrick couldn't recall ever seeing Ally this way. "When are ya going to ask her?" he asked taking a sip of his beer.

"I don't know yet. I have the ring. I'm just waiting for the perfect time."

"You two have been together how long?" Patrick asked curiously.

"Seven months. Seven great months."

"That's not a long time."

"Aye, it's not a long time, but when you know it's right, Pat, you don't want to wait….besides we're hardly getting any younger."

Patrick nodded, smiling at his future brother-in-law. He knew Marie would say yes. There was no doubt in Patrick's mind that Marie would be very happy with Ally.

The sound of the window opening silenced the two from any further discussion on the matter. Patrick and Ally turned around to look.

"Hey Honey, how are the burgers coming along?" Marie called out from inside.

Ally stood up, walked over to the barbeque with spatula in hand, and flipped the burgers.

"Not too much longer now."

Lizzie opened up the door carrying out some plates and utensils. Marie followed behind her with a casserole dish. The two women joined Patrick and Ally at the table.

It hadn't been a warm day but it was comfortable enjoying their food outdoors and admiring the view of the water.

Ally removed the hamburger patties from the grill and handed one to Lizzie. "So where's Frankie? I expected to see him today," he told her and dropped patties onto the others' plates.

Lizzie smiled removing a bun from the bag on the table. "He decided to spend time with his friend, Catriona today."

"Ohhhh….I see. Getting tired of hanging with the old folks, heh?" Ally replied jokingly.

"Well, either it was that or maybe he was afraid of being dumped into a hot tub." Lizzie said elbowing Patrick who was seated right next to her. Marie laughed out loud and Patrick smirked. "I still can't believe you did that to me, by the way." Lizzie told Patrick narrowing her eyes at him.

"Well ya know what they say?" Patrick told Lizzie with a half-smile as he spread mayonnaise on his bun.

"No, what do they say? Please tell us!" Lizzie questioned now with her arms folded leaning back in her chair.

"If ya play with fire, yer going ta get burned."

Lizzie scoffed and Ally laughed out loud in response.

"Or soaked." Marie added helpfully with eyebrows up. Patrick chuckled and Lizzie elbowed him again. The sound of the phone ringing interrupted the group's laughter.

They looked at Marie expectantly. "It's my day off, I'll let the machine get it! Oh, that reminds me!" Marie said looking at Patrick. "Dominick called a few days ago…"

Patrick smiled. "Oh how's he and the family doing?" He took another sip of his beer.

Marie served herself some potato salad. "They're doing fine. The two older kids are out of the house now." Marie observed Lizzie's confused look. "Dominick and his wife are our tenants. They've been renting our grandmother's house for years. Good people."

Lizzie looked surprised. "Oh…I had no idea you owned property."

Marie shrugged. "Well just our grandmother's house. She left it to Patrick and me. I didn't have the heart to sell it so we decided…"

Patrick cut in. "You decided."

"Alright, I decided to rent it out in hopes that Patrick might want to live there one day. It's lovely, so it is. It's an older house with three bedrooms and it's right on the beach. Still needs work every so often." Marie explained.

"Why don't you want to live there?" Lizzie questioned.

"This is my home. Glasgow is where my shop is and I just love it here." Marie told Lizzie with a smile and turned to Patrick. "So Dominick says the roof might need some work…."

Ally started. "Well, I could…"

Marie cut in knowing Patrick was a far better handyman than her beloved. "That's alright, Ally. This house belongs to Patrick also and now that he's home he can take care of it."

Patrick began to shake his head doubtfully but before he could speak Marie added. "Do you want me to fetch the will? Besides I was going to let you have the deed outright. You've more than compensated for it."

Patrick looked down. "Well I'll try to make it next weekend seeing how I'll be busy during the week."

"So one week left?" Ally asked Patrick after finishing the last bite of his burger.

"Right. If they don't kill me first. It's been…intense." Patrick told him referring to the drills and tests. "Can't wait for it to be over."

"I'm so proud of you." Lizzie told him putting her hand on his knee. "He's been doing brilliantly! Top of his class." She gushed to Marie and Ally.

Patrick smiled gratefully at Lizzie. "I couldn't have come this far without all of your help." Lizzie tilted her head and gazed at him appreciatively. "One week to go."

Lizzie lifted her plate and stood up. "Anyone want another beer?"

Ally and Marie nodded while Patrick quickly stood up motioning for Lizzie to sit back down. He took her plate. "I'll get it, you just sit and enjoy."

Lizzie smiled thankfully. "Thank you, Patrick." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and sat back down beaming at him.

"Hey Patrick, since yer going in will ya check the machine?" Marie asked as she took a spoonful of potato salad off Ally's plate.

"Right." He told her nodding. Patrick went inside the house and quickly spotted the blinking light on the answering machine.

_At the beep ya know what to do…..Beep…._

_Hey Patrick! Guess who? I got yer letter. I've got a joke for ya. __How many firefighters does it take to change a light bulb?_

_Four. Three to cut a hole in the roof and one to change the bulb._

The sound of Bob's infectious laughter echoed through Marie's living room and Patrick couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

_I'll be in Glasgow next week. Hope to see ya then. I'll call when I get in._

_Cheerio._

* * *


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N**: Well...I wrote the final chapter last week actually. Still have more editing to do. Thanks again for all your lovely feedback. It really motivates me to post updates faster. I will probably post more sometime next week. Enjoy!

**Chapter 19**

"I look ridiculous." Lizzie told him.

"You look beautiful," Patrick nodded at her eyeing her approvingly. "And very sexy." He added.

Lizzie doubted that as she looked down at the bright yellow sleeves hung down past her gloved hands and tried to push them out. "And then yer arse fell off." She grumped. "These are itchy." She told him bending over to scratch her leg and feeling like she was losing her balance in the boots that were sizes too large for her.

Patrick straightened the helmet on Lizzie's head and told her, "Stand still."

"This is heavy." Lizzie whined.

Patrick sighed. "Try wearing these turnouts over a full uniform and carrying over 50 pounds of gear on yer back in 100+ degree heat."

Lizzie crinkled her brows and shifted around in the garb feeling like a clown.

Patrick stood back, picked up his camera, and told her again to stand still. "Say cheese."

Lizzie smiled at her beloved as he snapped the picture. "Beautiful." He told her walking to her and kissing her on the nose setting the camera down on a nearby counter. Lizzie moved her head up so that his kiss moved to her lips and embraced him. She caught the look of desire in his eyes and gently planted baby kisses along his neck.

Patrick shuddered from the sensation of her lips. Seeing her dressed like this and the tingling sensation from her lips was a huge turn on for him but still once again he knew he couldn't let it go any further.

_Just say the words, Patrick_, he thought. He found himself tongue tied around her. He never was any good at expressing his feelings. He never had to before. What if she didn't feel the same? This thought nagged at him constantly.

Lizzie enjoyed the reaction from Patrick. It gave her hope. This had been arousing for her as well and she enjoyed how sensitive he was to her touch.

She removed the fire helmet and put it on his head and smiled looking up at him suggestively. With one finger she traced along his face and down his neck to his collar and slowly leading down to his waist never taking her eyes off his.

His breath caught. He leaned his head down and kissed her passionately feeling like this would be his undoing. God, how he wanted her.

Swiftly, her other hand went up to his waist and her fingers grasped his shirt pulling it upward when he abruptly pulled away from the kiss. Lizzie looked confused and he grabbed her wrists, closing his eyes and sighed.

Lizzie didn't understand. "What's the matter, Patrick?" she asked as he placed her hands down at her sides.

Patrick looked into her lovely brown eyes full of desire. _Tell her. _"I'm sorry, Lizzie...I.." _love you_, he thought. "I…..just can't."

Lizzie stood there in disbelief. She'd felt as though she'd been slapped. Tears of rejection began to well up in her eyes. "I have to go." She said looking down.

"No, Lizzie, don't go. I….." he trailed off not knowing quite what to say next.

Lizzie hastily stepped out of the boots and pulled off the gloves. She angrily peeled off the jacket and stepped out of the overalls letting them fall to the floor. Sad and humiliated she strode to the front door. With one hand on the doorknob, she sighed and looked back at Patrick, who simply hung his head and said nothing.

Lizzie stepped out into the evening air. It was sunset now. Her mind raced. Did he have this problem with Gretchen? Or with the other women? _Probably not_. _Just with me_, Lizzie thought bitterly and shook her head. She loved this man with all her heart but she didn't understand him.

Patrick sadly watched her walk away through the window. Lizzie wasn't like the others. He recalled the hurt look on her face when he pulled away. He was sorry he put it there. He didn't feel like he could just take her. Patrick had never been in love before and hoped this ache in his heart would go away.

* * *

Flour………………..check 

Salt………………….check

Baking powder……...check

Baking soda…………check

Lizzie mixed the ingredients together in a bowl. She looked at the recipe again squinting at the measurements.

_Patrick really doesn't love me_, she thought.

It had been three days since she'd seen him or heard his voice. She missed him desperately.

Lizzie grabbed another bowl and combined the ingredients together mixing them furiously.

He had refused her. There she was, ready to give him her mind, body, and soul. _And he_ _didn't want it_. It had been a long time since she'd felt this hopeless.

Lizzie let out a loud sigh barely noticing her mother walking into the kitchen. "What are ya up to?" Nell asked her looking at the bowl of dough.

When Lizzie didn't respond Nell looked around at the trays of chocolate chip cookies on the table and the floury mess all over the counter.

"Trouble in paradise, eh?"

"You wouldn't understand, Mother." She responded warily pulling the muffin pans out and spraying them.

"Try me."

Lizzie took a big spoon and scooped the dough into the pan. Tears began forming in her eyes. She looked up and wouldn't face her mother.

"It's just that…." Lizzie trailed off feeling she wouldn't be able to finish that sentence without sobbing.

Nell looked at her daughter sympathetically cocking her head to the side and rubbed Lizzie's arm. Nell admired Lizzie and her strength. Indeed Lizzie had been stronger than she'd ever been. It troubled Nell to see her this way now.

"It's just that what?" Nell asked softly.

Lizzie took a breath and wiped her eyes. "Patrick doesn't love me."

Nell almost laughed. She'd observed quite the opposite. "That's rubbish, Lizzie."

"No, Ma, it's not." Lizzie told her spooning the last of the dough into the muffin pan.

"A blind man could see Patrick's crazy about you." Lizzie shook her head in response. "Now what's this all about?" Nell asked her softly.

Lizzie sighed and took a deep breath. "He doesn't want me."

Nell stared at her daughter with crinkled brows.

"You know, Ma, want me……he doesn't _want_ me." Lizzie told her and looked away; ashamed.

Nell's expression changed to understanding. "Oh….you mean….." Lizzie nodded. Nell shook her head at Lizzie. "I'm sure that's not true." She told her matter-of-factly. "Patrick's probably….old-fashioned. Maybe he wants to wait till you get married." She told her with a smile nodding.

Lizzie looked doubtfully at her mum and put the muffin pan in the oven.

"Tell me, Lizzie…." Nell said facing Lizzie to her. "Do you love him?"

"Yeah, Ma, I do." Lizzie told her softly. "I think I fell for him that night we danced."

To Nell, the solution was simple. "So tell him."

"But what if he doesn't…"

"Does it matter, Lizzie? Does it _really_ matter?" Lizzie opened her mouth but said nothing. "If he doesn't say it back will you love him any less?" Lizzie shook her head. "I thought not." Nell took Lizzie's chin in her hand. "Life's too short not to say the words."

Lizzie smiled and nodded; hugging her mother. She really didn't know what she would do without her. "I love you, Ma."

Nell smiled and felt the tears coming. "I love you too."

* * *


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Okay, so I lied. Here's one more and I'll update again next week. Sorry for any confusion. Had to make a quick revision. Hope you enjoy this one!

**Chapter 20**

"Good God, you haven't shagged her yet!" Bob asked Patrick incredulously as he sipped a beer.

"Hey, don't talk about Lizzie that way." Patrick looked at him with a warning. "She's different."

Bob looked questioningly at him. "How is she different? Just shag her and be done with it!"

"You don't understand, Bob…..I.." Patrick trailed off shaking his head.

Bob shook his head along with him as he amusedly watched his friend, "You what?"

"I..."

Bob's eyes opened wide. "Love her? You can't even say the words!" Bob laughed slapping his knee.

Patrick took a sip of his beer and hung his head. "I can't even say the words." he agreed.

"You look even more lovesick now than you did on the bloody ship!" Bob cracked open a peanut shell and popped a nut into his mouth. "So what are ya going to do?"

"I don't know….but I'll tell ya. This fire academy was the pits. I mean excruciating. But being without Lizzie has been Hell." Patrick told him seriously.

"So what yer saying is you'd rather suffer Hell than tell her you love her?" Bob asked him cracking another peanut shell.

_Damn Bob,_ Patrick thought. _Why did he have to make sense_? Patrick sulked. "Can we please talk about something else?"

Bob cocked his head at his old friend. There would be no getting through to him. He sighed and his face lit up. "Stop me if you've heard this one!"

* * *

Patrick stumbled in the doorway late that night and locked the door behind him. He found Marie still awake sitting on the sofa reading. 

"Hey Marie." Patrick greeted as he casually made his way to the living room.

"Hey." Marie responded holding her hand up directing him to wait.

Patrick's eyes open widely as he realized what she was reading. "What have ya got there, Marie?" he asked sincerely hoping that it wasn't what he thought she was reading.

"Oh it's the letter you wrote to Lizzie." Marie answered nonchalantly. "It explains a lot about the way the two of you are behaving." She added noticing the appalled expression on her brother's face.

Patrick gaped at her and raised his voice at his sister. "Marie! Give me back that letter!" he demanded going towards her and holding out his palm. "What's written in that letter is none of your damn business!" he told her angrily.

Marie pulled the letter close to her chest. "Actually when ya leave it laying out in plain sight on the table in _my_ flat, I'd say yer _making_ it my business." She told him sharply.

Patrick sighed, looking down. He furrowed his brows and his mouth was set in a line. When Marie took that tone that reminded him of their mother he knew she would not back down. Marie had quite the stubborn streak in her when she wanted.

"Have a seat." Marie told him calmly. Patrick sat wishing he hadn't been so careless.

Marie smiled at her only sibling. She hoped that he would just talk to her. "Now…why won't you just tell her that you love her?"

Patrick shook his head. "I can't, Marie. What if she doesn't feel that way about me?"

Marie threw her head back and laughed in a high pitch tone followed by a snort. Truly it was the funniest thing she'd heard that day.

"Something funny?" Patrick asked her self-consciously.

Marie sighed and shook her head at her brother's cluelessness. "Patrick, Patrick, Patrick. Of course she loves you."

"How do you know?" he asked her quickly. "Did she tell you?" he asked hopefully.

"Are ya kidding, Patrick? She doesn't have to. It's written all over her face."

Patrick was silent for a moment not certain if he should believe Marie. "Then why hasn't she said it yet?" he asked her pointedly.

Marie scoffed. "Can you blame her? Look at her relationship with Frankie's father. Do you blame her for being scared?"

"Still." Patrick replied stubbornly. "I'm not going to be the one to say it first." He told his sister feeling a little vulnerable himself. He'd never said these words to a woman.

Marie rolled her eyes. "Don't mess this up, Patrick. Just tell her. In fact, I'm going to invite Lizzie and Frankie over tomorrow for tea."

Patrick looked down and held out his palm to Marie. "The letter, please?"

Marie reluctantly handed it to him.

He took it from her and folded it quickly. "I never planned on actually giving it to her."

Marie nodded, crinkling her nose. "I know." She stood up and yawned. "Good night, Patrick." She told him heading down the hallway to her room.

"Good night, Marie." Patrick yawned and headed towards his room when a thought occurred to him. The letter _hadn't_ been in plain sight.

* * *

"Over. Then under…That's right…Now pull through and tighten." 

Frankie smiled showing Patrick the knot he'd just finished. "Sssseeee?"

Patrick and Lizzie smiled proudly at him. "Well done, Frankie now tie it one more time and then I'll show ya how to do a different one."

Frankie smiled with pride and continued with the rope as Marie brought over some cookies and set them on the table.

"Thanks for coming over Lizzie." Marie told her and Patrick nodded.

"Thanks for having us."

"Well ya know, it gets quiet here and it's nice to have people over." Marie gave Patrick a wink. "I'm going to check on the food." She left for the kitchen.

"Lizzie, I'm sorry about the other day." Patrick told Lizzie.

Lizzie watched Frankie attempting the same knot again. "It's alright, Patrick. We can talk about it later." She told him still feeling the burn from her previous visit. Lizzie had been happy to receive Marie's invitation because she couldn't stand being away from him.

"Patty? Oops sorry….I mean Patrick, come grab some plates." Marie called from the kitchen.

Patrick stood and took the plates from Marie and began setting the table. Lizzie went to the kitchen and fetched silverware and glasses.

Lizzie and Patrick didn't know what to say to each other. Marie sensing the awkwardness broke the silence.

"Lizzie, those banana nut muffins you brought in were delicious!"

Lizzie smiled, "Oh thank you."

Marie's eyes widened. "I put them in a basket to sell, Lizzie, and they're gone. People _loved_ them. Oh I _love_ banana nut muffins."

Patrick and Lizzie flinched at hearing the word that had been tormenting the both of them. Lizzie recalled her mother's and Bob's words and wondered if they were right.

"And the cookies…..they were sooo good. I just _love_ chocolate chip cookies." Marie told Lizzie setting out napkins around the table.

Lizzie smiled at the loose way the word was being used. "Well you know what I _love_, Marie?" she asked setting the glasses down.

Patrick eyed her quietly as he stood behind Frankie.

"No, what?" Marie asked innocently.

"I just _love_ baking." Lizzie shrugged with a slight smile seeing Patrick's expression change to seriousness.

"I can tell. You could open up yer own bakery, so you could."

Lizzie never took her eyes off Patrick. "Ya know, I would _love _to do that someday."

Lizzie looked challengingly at him as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Ya know what I _love_?" Patrick asked. "I _love_ what a great job Frankie is doing with his knots."

Lizzie took a breath and pursed her lips.

Marie smiled. "It's so nice that we're all here together. I'm going to pull the lasagna out of the oven."

"I _love _lasagna, Marie." Lizzie said. "And I _love_ that you invited us here for tea!"

She went into the kitchen to offer her help and left a fuming Patrick with Frankie.

Patrick stood there shaking his head silently. Lizzie came back out and hugged Patrick.

"By the way, congratulations on passing the academy." Patrick smiled gratefully at her and returned her embrace.

Frankie looked up at them and Lizzie smiled. "Frankie and I _love_ that you were at the top of yer class." Lizzie winked and went back to the kitchen.

"Thanks." Patrick told her through his teeth not knowing how much more he could take.

"We're all very proud of you." Marie told him holding the lasagna dish with potholders and setting it down on the table. Lizzie followed behind with a salad bowl and bread. Lizzie sat next to Frankie and Marie and Patrick sat across from them.

"So what's next?" Marie asked carefully cutting the savory entree and serving everyone. "What happens Monday?"

Patrick served himself some salad and passed the bowl to Lizzie. "Monday, I start work. I am assigned to a station across town."

"What is your work schedule going to be like?"

"I'll work 24 hour shifts. So I'll work Monday, be off on Tuesday, work Wednesday, off Thursday and work Friday. I'll have the weekend off and next week they'll assign me a permanent schedule similar to that one. Probably working the weekends."

Lizzie's brows were knit. "24 hours? You have to be there for 24 hours?"

Patrick smiled at her concern. "Yes. I report at 8 in the morning and leave at 8 the following morning. Don't look so upset. I'm actually only working ten days a month unless I choose to work more. It's a great job." He said nodding.

"Sounds brilliant to me! Work ten days a month." Marie said getting up to retrieve salad dressing.

Patrick looked to Lizzie to get her reaction but found her to be less than happy.

Marie brought a few bottles of dressing and placed them on the table. She poured dressing on her salad. "Did you make it to the house, Patrick?"

Patrick eagerly sampled the flavorful pasta and nodded. "Mmmm….this is so good. I _love_ it." He told her raising his eyebrows. "Yes, I made it over there and the roof's looking pretty bad. We're going to have to get a new roof."

"Oh." Marie said. "Ouch."

"I'll take care of it, Marie. I'm working now. Oh and by the way, Dominick just gave his notice yesterday. They'll be moving in a month's time."

"Really? I'm going to miss them. Wow. It's hard to imagine that house being vacant." Marie looked silently to Patrick and then Lizzie. Hint hint.

Lizzie took a bite of her bread looking away and Patrick smiled at Frankie who was picking at his salad.

They finished their dinner in silence. Lizzie helped Marie with the dishes and Patrick drew with Frankie at the table.

"Oh look at the time, we have to go, Marie. Thanks so much. It was delicious." Lizzie smiled and hugged Marie. She tapped on Frankie's shoulder. He was immersed in his drawing. "We have to go, son."

Frankie furrowed his brows and gathered his coloring pencils.

"I'll take you and Frankie." Patrick volunteered with a smile.

Lizzie nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Patrick. C'mon Slowcoach." She tapped on Frankie's shoulder again noticing he was busy drawing again. "We'll be outside. Hurry now."

Patrick took Lizzie's hand and they walked outside shutting the door behind them.

"Are we okay, Lizzie?" he asked her sincerely.

Lizzie looked up into his sparkling, bluish-green eyes. Feeling like she would melt right there she realized she couldn't stay mad at him. "Of course." She threw herself into his embrace and he held her tightly and leaned down to kiss her. She'd missed everything about him and sighed contentedly now that she was back in his arms.

Patrick closed his eyes and breathed in her perfume. "I missed you." He whispered.

"I missed you too." Lizzie told him and was about to kiss him again when she noticed Frankie watching them with a smile through the window. Patrick caught sight of Frankie watching and Lizzie smiled. "He loves you, ya know."

Patrick's face became serious as his turquoise eyes met her brown ones. He had a simple question. Patrick wondered if he was brave enough to ask it. "Is he the only one?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"No." Lizzie uttered gazing up at him, a little nervously.

Patrick took a breath and shuddered with emotion as if everything in his life had led him to this point. He smiled and pulled her in to a kiss that left Lizzie breathless.

Lizzie smiled realizing that he hadn't said the words, and that it was okay. As long as they were together she was happy.

"I…" Patrick uttered and Lizzie shook her head.

"You don't have to, Patrick. It's alright."

Her saying that made him love her even more. "I…." he stammered. "This is hard for me, Lizzie. I'm not good at this sort of thing."

Lizzie stroked Patrick's face gently. "Shhhh. It's alright."

"I….fell in love with you the first time I met you, Lizzie."

Lizzie gasped and she felt her heart pounding. She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"I love you so much it hurts." He took her hands in his and squeezed them. "I…..love you so much ...that ...that I would rather spend an eternity in Hell than live here on earth without you."

Tears filled Lizzie's eyes and she sniffled. "I'd say you were pretty good." She told him smiling and wiping her tears.

He laughed and felt relief that the words were finally out.

"Patrick?" Lizzie asked as his strong arms held her and he stroked her hair with gentle fingers.

"Mmmmm?"

They both turned and looked as they heard the noise of the front door opening and watched Frankie emerge with paper and color pencils in hand.

As Frankie walked towards them Lizzie looked up at Patrick, her eyes glinting with playfulness, "I love...chocolate."

Patrick narrowed his eyes at her. "Is that so?"

Lizzie gazed lovingly up at him and nodded.

Frankie stood before Patrick and Lizzie. "Say, Frankie? You know what time it is?" Patrick asked him.

Frankie shook his head.

"Time for yer ma to go for a swim." He said picking Lizzie up by the waist and headed back to Marie's.

* * *


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"That was three." Patrick told Lizzie laughing.

"No, that was two." Lizzie told Patrick shaking her head. "I still have three more." She told him smiling holding up three fingers.

Patrick shifted in the hot tub. "No, that was question number three. Seriously. Two left."

"No, seriously, you would like for it to have been question number three."

"C'mon Lizzie, this is painful. My questions haven't been nearly as hard as yours."

Lizzie smirked at him and changed seats. "If you don't believe me….."

"Okay, number one was how many women have I slept with." Patrick said rolling his eyes.

"Right. I rather regret asking you that one." She said wryly.

Patrick gave her a look. "You said to be totally honest. I didn't want to answer that one."

"Right and remember that was a _two_-part question." Lizzie pointed out.

"Aye it was but it shouldn't have been. The second part was have I gotten tested for HIV and I have, thanks very much." He said sarcastically.

"Number two," Lizzie said quickly changing the subject. "Let's see, that was how did Marie get you to agree to meet me. See? I haven't asked you any more after that one."

Patrick hung his head.

"I've answered your questions honestly and without complaint." Lizzie told him a little disappointed.

Patrick reached over to Lizzie and put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. "Let's review your questions. Number one was how old were you when you and Davey slept together." Lizzie nodded and Patrick stroked her arm. "Question two was what would you have done if I hadn't agreed to help you." Lizzie nodded again. "Number three was did you sleep with Thomas."

Lizzie faced him. "I can't believe you even asked me that one."

"It was a plausible question."

"Not for me. I barely even let him kiss me, Patrick." Lizzie told him defensively, scooting away from him. Regaining her composure she continued. "Alright so my turn. Question number three." Lizzie said narrowing her eyes at him. "Have you ever been in love before?"

Patrick adjusted the jet behind him releasing more pressure on his lower back. "I don't know if you could call it love." He replied thoughtfully.

Lizzie scooted back up next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Well, what would you call it?"

"I would call it a crush."

"Really? Tell me about it." Lizzie said and sat up with her back facing him. Patrick took her cue and massaged her neck.

Patrick looked up thoughtfully. "It's very cliché. She was the girl next door."

Lizzie stayed silent and allowed Patrick's fingers to work their magic on her shoulders as she listened.

"Her name was Annabel and she ignored me for years." Patrick laughed at the memory. "I followed her around like a wee pup. So one day she stopped ignoring me and actually began to like me. We were boyfriend and girlfriend for a while. It was very innocent; kissing and holding hands."

Lizzie turned around and sat back pulling Patrick's back to her working the tense muscles on his back. "What happened to her then?"

"Ahhh. Right there.That feels great," he said stretching his neck. " It was about the time of my parents' car accident. I moved away and never saw her again."

"That's so sad." Lizzie said now massaging his shoulders.

"No, what's really sad is that I heard from Marie that Annabel died while giving birth to her son."

Lizzie froze. She couldn't imagine anything so awful. Patrick turned and faced her.

"Okay my turn to ask you now, Lizzie. Do you want to have any more children?"

"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. It's always just been Frankie. What about you?" Lizzie questioned.

"Does that count as question number four?" Patrick asked hopefully.

"Not on yer life."

"Didn't think so. Can't blame me for trying." Patrick said shrugging his shoulders. Lizzie shook her head and Patrick leaned forward to turn on the bubbles. He leaned towards Lizzie and pulled her into an embrace. "So? Question number four?"

"Number four. Why do you give Marie such a hard time when she tries to help you?"

Patrick sighed. "Can't ya just ask me the children question?"

Lizzie shook her head. "Listen Patrick, I know this is all new to you but yer in an adult relationship now. You have to learn to communicate your feelings. No matter how uncomfortable."

"I was an addict, Lizzie. I made life hell for Marie and my grandmother. Marie was forced to grow up by herself. No support." Patrick looked away. "I treated Marie very badly. When I got clean, I realized it and I sent her money…as much as I could spare….because no matter how much I sent her….it would never be enough. It wasn't going to bring back our grandmother. It would never be enough to pay for what I put her through."

Lizzie's heart went out to him and she felt a lump in her throat. There were no words for her to offer. She finally understood now. The shop, the truck, his grandmother's house….he hadn't felt as though he contributed….he felt he was in debt to Marie for the rest of his life. Lizzie leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead; hugging him tightly and hoped that someday his wound would heal.

She quickly changed the subject. "Alright, so here it is….number five."

Patrick sighed once again. "Number five. The final question. Bring it on."

"The final question….for now. Why did you throw that man overboard?"

Patrick's eyes opened wide. _Awww shit_, Patrick thought. "Lizzie, I'll give you the deed to my grandmother's house if you don't make me answer that question."

* * *

"I'm begging you, Patrick. Don't do it." 

Patrick's piercing bluish green eyes looked at Lizzie with one eyebrow raised. "Give me one good reason."

"Because I love you." Lizzie answered wincing; biting her lip.

Marie and Frankie looked on in fear as Patrick looked from the woman he loved to his sister and finally to Frankie. He took a breath and looked down contemplating his decision.

"What do you think, Frankie?" Patrick asked.

Frankie grinned. "Dooo it."

Lizzie's mouth dropped open and she faced him. "Thanks a lot, Son."

Patrick smiled and Marie giggled as he grabbed Lizzie's yellow game piece and placed it playfully back to her start replacing his own green game piece to her former location. With the other hand he flashed her the Sorry card. "Sooooo-ry!" he bellowed.

Lizzie glared at Patrick. "Aye, you'll be _sorry_ for that one, Mr. Connelly."

Patrick shrugged. "You were the closest to winning. Couldn't let that happen." He told her simply.

Lizzie folded her arms pouting and looked away.

"Probably should've just let her win, Patrick. We've been at this for more than an hour." Marie told him sipping some wine. "Why don't we finish this up tomorrow?"

Everyone nodded in agreement and got up from their chairs.

"Hhot ttub?" Frankie inquired to Lizzie.

Lizzie smiled and looked at Marie. Marie nodded. "Alright son, let's go get on our suits then. Traitor." Lizzie told him mussing up his hair as they walked down the hallway.

Marie picked up the wine glasses from the table and took them into the kitchen. Patrick followed carrying the popcorn bowl. He was silent and Marie looked at him questioningly.

"It's been a long time since we've played Sorry." Patrick said and laughed.

"Aye. We used to play a lot when we were kids." Marie smiled. "And you thought _you_ were the Sorry champion."

Patrick furrowed his brows. "I was."

Marie rolled her eyes as she rinsed out the wine glasses. "I didn't realize how much I missed it."

"Me too."

They fell into silence and Marie walked back to the table and picked up some popcorn kernels.

Lizzie and Frankie walked out wearing their bathing suits and carrying towels.

"Ya coming in?" Lizzie asked Patrick as Frankie stepped outside.

"Yah, I'll be in a wee bit."

"Alright, I'll see ya in there, ya evil man." Lizzie told him jokingly and slapped Patrick's behind; heading for the door.

Patrick watched Lizzie walk out in silence and as Marie wiped the table she picked up on his pensive mood.

"Is everything alright with you two?" Marie asked without really expecting an answer.

Patrick looked to Marie and smiled. "Everything's perfect."

Marie smiled. "Lizzie's great. I've never seen you so happy."

Patrick nodded, laughed, and Marie noticed his face become serious again.

"What's troubling you, Patrick? Something at work?"

Patrick shook his head and sighed. "Naw nothing like that, Marie."

Marie became concerned. "Tell me what's wrong, Patrick."

"It's just that…." He trailed off and took a breath. "It's just that I never said I was sorry."

Marie looked at him with relief. "Are ya kidding me, Patrick, you've been no trouble. I love having you here."

"No." Patrick told her seriously, shaking his head. "Not that, Marie."

Marie didn't understand and looked at him questioningly.

"You were so strong, Marie. Always have been. I've admired you for that…..so much."

Marie smiled and looked down, not knowing what to make of this conversation.

"When Mum and Dad died….you…" Patrick trailed off as Marie looked up at him in surprise. They hadn't spoken of this sensitive subject. "You were so strong, Marie. I was so…. bloody weak." He hung his head ashamedly.

"Aw c'mon Patrick," she interrupted lightly. "It was a difficult time for all of us."

"I couldn't think about anyone else and I didn't know how to deal with it. I made things so much worse." Patrick told her and looked away. "I was an asshole to you and Nana."

He took a deep breath. "And I'm sorry, Marie. So sorry." He told her earnestly.

"Patrick…" Marie interrupted.

"I'm not finished." Patrick told her and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about what happened with Nana." Patrick felt a lump in his throat. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you and... and I'm so _very_ sorry that you were alone all those years to deal with it."

Patrick's turquoise eyes met Marie's teary blue ones. She bit her lip to keep from sobbing. "You're the best sister a dumbass brother like me could ever hope to have…and I know I don't deserve it…but I hope you will forgive me." He said and held his breath.

Tears ran down Marie's face and she laughed. "Of course, Little Brother. I forgave you a long time ago." She told him shaking her head and threw herself into his embrace, sniffling. "You were a dumbass." Marie looked up at him wiping her tears with her finger. "But you're my brother and I love you. That will never change."

"I love you too, Big Sis." Patrick told her squeezing her tightly. "I'm going to try harder to be a better brother and communicate more." He promised and breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving Marie's forgiveness as though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Marie sniffled again and looked back at him with a smile. "I really like the influence Lizzie has had on you."

Patrick smiled at his sister. "Me too, Marie. Me too."


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: I just love you people! Thanks for all the wonderful feedback! It is _always _appreciated. We're not finished yet, though. Just a few chapters left.

**Chapter 22**

Patrick had been planning this as a surprise all week and was excited to finally be able to show Lizzie the beach house. The cleaning had been done. The food was prepared and hidden in the back of his truck along with the other necessities. As they neared the house Patrick could feel the excitement welling up inside.

He hadn't told Lizzie where they were going and stopped to blindfold her before they reached their destination. Patrick parked in the driveway and instructed her to wait there for him and not remove the blindfold….or else she might end up in water….again.

Lizzie heard Patrick gathering plastic bags and shuffling items around but was clueless about what lay ahead. She knew whatever it was she would be happy just to be with him. Because of their work schedules this was the first time they were able to be alone since the time at Marie's when he had rejected her. Lizzie shook her head at the memory.

Minutes passed as Lizzie sat silently contemplating what Patrick had in store. Maybe a picnic. Maybe a leisurely drive along the coast leading up to some romantic getaway. Other possibilities crossed her mind until the sound of her door opening startled her.

"Did ya peek?"

Lizzie shook her head obediently.

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Lizzie told him as he helped her out of the truck.

Patrick led Lizzie to the front of the beach house and stood behind her; his hand ready to untie the blindfold. "You ready?"

Lizzie nodded excitedly. Patrick carefully removed the blindfold and at first the brightness of the sun blinded her but as her eyes adjusted to the light she gasped.

Marie hadn't exaggerated. The house was on the beach with the water within walking distance. It was an older house and Lizzie could see why the roof would need to be replaced. Still from the outside the paint, the landscape, and overall appearance of the house seemed to have been well maintained by its former tenants.

"Is this …..?" Lizzie asked, stunned.

"My grandmother's house? Yes. Actually now it's Marie's and mine."

"This is breathtaking." Lizzie told Patrick in awe referring to the panoramic view of the ocean.

Patrick smiled, pleased with Lizzie's approving gaze and led her by the hand into his former home.

They entered the carefully constructed brick building and Lizzie was instantly charmed by the wood burning stove in the cozy living room. She gazed admiringly at the refurbished wooden floors and shelving.

Patrick led her down the hallway and veered to the left where they entered the master bedroom. Lizzie could smell the salty air from the ocean and breathed it in as she explored the large room and closet. The sight of sheer curtains blowing led her to the slightly open window. As she closed the window she gasped inwardly at what she saw before her. Just a little off to the right were French doors. Patrick opened them up and Lizzie stepped out on to a stone path leading to a courtyard. It was lined with rosebushes. The roses emitted a powerful fragrance. In a corner there was a decorative fountain. A short distance away there was a patio table with two chairs. The courtyard was adorned with many potted plants and flowers. Lizzie marveled at the peaceful feeling it gave her.

Patrick slid his arms around her waist noticing the content, sweet look she wore. Lizzie put her hands on his squeezing them together and laid her head upon his shoulder.

"Roses." She breathed.

"Yes. When my grandmother was alive she loved the rosebushes and took great care of them."

"Roses are my absolute favorite flower."

Patrick smiled at the picture in his mind of Lizzie caring for the rosebushes that his grandmother held so dear. Patrick led her back into the bedroom and continued the tour and Lizzie followed hesitantly not wanting to leave the serenity of the courtyard.

The other two rooms were similar in size and smaller than the master bedroom. One thing struck Lizzie as odd. They had walked through the unfurnished house but here in the one room was a daybed. It was oak and matched well with the wood floors. It had minor scratches here and there. Lizzie sat on the bed admiring the frame, stroking the smooth wood with her fingers.

Lizzie was puzzled. "I can't believe they didn't take this daybed. It's beautiful."

Patrick smiled appreciatively. "I asked that they leave it because I made it years ago."

Lizzie gaped. "You?" she asked admiring the workmanship. Patrick nodded. "Is there anything you can't do?"

"My da was a carpenter and from a young age I loved to watch him build. He was happy to teach me. Actually it was the last thing we built together." He added a little sadly.

Patrick helped Lizzie up from the daybed and led her back to the living room.

"This house looks wonderful for being as old as it is." Lizzie told him.

"While I was away, little by little Marie had it remodeled and refurbished."

He glanced around at the bare surroundings. "I can still picture exactly the way it used to look." He said as though he were a boy again, instead of a grown man in the present.

He stayed silent as Lizzie explored the built in shelves and the stone backdrop where the wood burning stove sat.

"Hey Patrick…what about…" she trailed off noticing his solemn expression. "Are you alright?"

Patrick took a breath, snapping out of his trance. "I don't have the best memories of this old house." He told her sadly. "I avoided coming here for years."

Lizzie nodded understandingly and gently caressed his back. She looked up and smiled at him kindly. "Time to make some new memories, don't ya think?"

Patrick looked at her admiringly and never felt more grateful than right now about having Lizzie. He saw love in her eyes and kissed her softly on her cheek, pulling her close and breathing in her perfume.

"I think so."

A moment passed when Patrick remembered the rest of his surprise. "Hungry?" he asked her noticing the daylight slipping away.

Saving the best for last, he took Lizzie's hand and led her to the kitchen and dining area. Her breath caught as she beheld the well-equipped kitchen with a large picture window over the sink. Lizzie imagined herself cooking or baking; watching Frankie through the glass contentedly building a sandcastle or tossing stones into the water.

Patrick cleared his throat distracting her attention from the window. Lizzie's breath caught as she noticed a charming breakfast nook against a wall with large windows so one could dine and enjoy the ocean view.

On the table were two red tapered candles along with two beautiful place settings. There was alsoa bottle of wine and two wine glasses.

Patrick gestured for Lizzie to sit and filled the two glasses with the red liquid. Lizzie gratefully took a sip and watched him as he served two plates of spaghetti and laid down bread and salad at the table.

Lizzie was impressed. "You've thought of everything, haven't you?"

Patrick looked up and snapped his fingers. "That reminds me……I'll be right back."

Patrick left her quickly going out through the front door.

He came back with a smile holding a radio/cd player and set it on the kitchen counter plugging it in. "Music?" he asked, turning on the radio and adjusting the tuner until he found a station that played soft music.

Lizzie nodded happily. "Now you've thought of everything." She laughed.

Patrick shook his head and went to a kitchen drawer and retrieved a pair of shears. "Not yet. I'll be one minute." He told her and kissed her on the nose exiting through a sliding glass door.

Lizzie craned her neck but couldn't see where he was off to. Patrick came back quickly with shears in one hand and four long-stemmed red roses in the other. Underneath a sink he found a vase and filled it with water dropping the delicate flowers inside and brought the arrangement to the table.

Lizzie leaned forward inhaling the sweet fragrance of the flowers appreciatively as she delighted in his thoughtfulness and thought nothing could ever be more perfect than this moment right now here with him.

They enjoyed a peaceful dinner as they watched the sunset. Patrick scooted in close to her laying his head on hers as they looked out and noticed a flock of seagulls soaring through the sky.

_When I was a young girl I used to dream of a lover who'd be my shining knight of strength one day, he'd take me to a castle in the heavens and battle all my dragons on the way._

Lizzie's eyes lit up as she heard the words to her favorite song playing on the radio. Patrick smiled and got up from the seat.

_And he'd ride down on a great white horse, he'd bring me love that I'd been longing for._

"Dance?"

Lizzie recalled the familiarity only now she felt no hesitation. She took his hand eagerly and let him lead her to the bare dining room floor. Lizzie felt herself melting into his arms as the tune took her back to that night of their first dance. Looking back now she remembered that somewhere between the provocative smile on his face to the strength of his arms holding her that she had found herself lost. No longer was she in control of her own emotions.

His eyes twinkled playfully and he twirled her around returning her back to his warm embrace. Patrick held her tightly as her fingers gently stroked the back of his neck.

The intensity of Patrick's gaze captured Lizzie's eyes and held her as they swayed to the music. He leaned down and grazed her lips with his. She felt herself caught up in a whir of emotions and her heart pounded as she returned his kiss.

Lizzie pulled away breathlessly and looked deeply into his bluish-green eyes. "Patrick? I have to tell you something."

"Mmmmm?"

"I fell in love with you the first time we danced."

In her eyes he could see that it was true. The words were simple yet held a profound meaning for Patrick. Lizzie's confession meant more to him than she would ever know. He shuddered and embraced her tighter pulling her into a passionate kiss.

He lifted his head up and saw the desire lit in her eyes. It was a desire that matched his own. Without any words he carefully picked her up, cradling her into his arms, and headed towards the back room.

Patrick's smoldering gaze reminded Lizzie of her vulnerabilities and she felt the heat slowly rising to her cheeks.

Nervously she whispered, "Patrick…"

He looked at her slightly puzzled.

"It's been…..a _long_ time….since I've…..been intimate with a man." She told him feeling flushed and embarrassed. "I was hoping you would…..go easy on me."

Patrick cocked his head to the side; narrowing his eyes at her.

"Do you know what I mean? Take it slow?" She asked uneasily.

He was charmed by her innocent request. He looked upon her lovingly, meeting her fearful brown eyes with his cool turquoise ones and whispered huskily in her ear, "Is there any other way?"

Lizzie felt shivers run down her body and smiled with relief as he carried her into the bedroom kicking the door shut behind them.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

_4 1/2months earlier_

"Who is _that_?" Patrick asked curiously outside Marie's shop looking in through the window.

Marie was smoking a cigarette and looked in to see who Patrick was staring at. Marie smiled as she saw Lizzie helping a customer. Lizzie was a hard worker and Marie hadn't regretted hiring her. "That's Lizzie. She's new in town. Been here about a month."

"Really?" he asked with one eyebrow raised, cocking his head to the side and smiling mischievously.

Marie grimaced. She knew _that_ look. "Whoa whoa." She told him with hands up. "Back off, Little Brother. Lizzie's off limits. She's a single mum and she's had enough man troubles to last her a lifetime. She ain't looking for a one-night stand."

Patrick frowned at Marie's response as she dropped her cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, crushing it with her shoe.

Marie took his arm and led him away as he continued to watch the woman behind the counter admiringly.

"She has beautiful eyes."

"Yeah." Marie said doubtfully. "Her eyes; I'm sure that's _exactly _what you were looking at."

* * *

Patrick smiled, shaking his head at the memory. 

_If I knew then what I know now, _he thought as he examined the band of gold in his hand grasping it with his thumb and index finger, studying the cut of the diamond.

"What do you think, Frankie?" Patrick asked tapping the boy beside him who was examining a different ring.

Frankie looked from the ring in his hand to the one in between Patrick's fingers. He smiled and pointed to the one Patrick was holding.

Patrick smiled, nodding his head; holding it up and admired the way it sparkled.

"Now this, Frankie, is a _champion_ engagement ring."

Frankie nodded happily in agreement.

A worried look came over Patrick's face. "What if she says no?"

Frankie crinkled his brows and shook his head. "Shhee wwon't."

Patrick was comforted by Frankie's support. He wondered if it was too soon then remembered Ally's words. _When you know it's right, you don't want to wait._

Patrick had never been as sure about anything in his life. "At least I got Nana's permission."

Frankie smiled and nodded.

Patrick took a breath and looked up at the saleslady behind the counter. "I'll take this one."

* * *

"I don't know, Patrick. If you remember the last time we did this, it didn't end so well." 

"It'll be alright this time, Lizzie. I've gotten much better." Patrick told her a little nervously handing her a glass of wine.

It had been an awful day for Lizzie so far and all she had looked forward to was soaking in the hot tub with her boyfriend and son; peacefully and with no arguments. Lizzie accepted the glass gratefully and took a sip. She smirked at his puppy eyes and sat all the way back in the seat so the jets soothed her back. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"We'll only do three questions this time." Patrick coaxed.

Lizzie opened her eyes and took another sip of her wine as she considered his words. "I'm really surprised _you_ want to do this, Patrick." Lizzie said with one eyebrow raised. "And right now? Frankie's gonna be coming in soon."

Patrick glanced back at Frankie who was watching patiently through the window for his signal. "I'll go first. First question. If you fell for me when we danced then why did you go out with Thomas?"

Lizzie took another sip of her wine and cocked her head to the side thoughtfully. "Are you still on about Thomas?"

Patrick looked away.

"Since _someone_ never sent me any letters telling me how he felt about me, I had no clue about if or when _someone_ would be returning. It seemed logical to move on."

Patrick's mouth dropped open. "So yer saying it was _my_ fault."

"Basically yes."

"You wrote letters too and _you _never sent them."

"You were a stranger. I didn't even know you!" Lizzie told him incredulously.

Patrick kneeled in front of her so that he faced her. He smiled at her nodding. "But you wanted to." He said raising his eyebrows and kissing her on the neck.

Lizzie laughed. "Alright Hot Stuff. My turn." She looked up thoughtfully as Patrick backed away. "Question number one is do you want to have children?"

"I was going to ask you that one next."

"I asked you first." Lizzie told him quickly, wondering apprehensively what his answer would be.

"Ya know, as I was growing up, I didn't think I'd ever have the patience. And now….I find myself fascinated by them. Frankie amazes me. He helps me to see things through a child's eyes. Every moment I spend with him the more I learn about myself."

Lizzie was moved to tears by his words. She leaned forward and kissed him. "That means so much to me, Patrick. But you still haven't answered my question."

Patrick continued. "For some reason I've always wanted to have a daughter. Just think she could have yer hair and yer beautiful eyes."

Lizzie looked fondly at him.

"Erm… a son would be brilliant too." He said quickly.

Lizzie smiled. She had always wanted a little girl as well.

"Now you." Patrick asked her feeling a little nervous recalling the fact that she hadn't really answered the question the last time.

Lizzie switched seats in the hot tub so that she could cool down. "Until you brought it up last time, I hadn't thought about it."

Patrick held his breath.

"But now, I think about it all the time. And how wonderful you would be as a daddy. I really want to have a baby with you, Patrick. One more."

Patrick breathed a sigh of relief and embraced Lizzie tightly.

Frankie watched through the window and smiled. He started to head towards the door when Patrick noticed and put his palm up directing him to wait. Frankie nodded.

"See isn't this much better than last time?" he asked her sitting back now facing her. "Question number two. Bring it on."

Lizzie nodded but then her face grew serious. She looked down. "Sometimes I worry…."

Patrick's brows crinkled with concern.

"You've been with many women, Patrick and haven't been in a serious relationship. I worry…." She sighed and continued. "How do I know that you will be faithful to me?" Lizzie told him and noticed the hurt look in his eyes. "You've never _had _to be faithful to just one woman."

Patrick's mouth was set in a line. He couldn't comprehend how she could even think this way.

"It's true, I've never _had _to be." Patrick agreed and Lizzie looked away. He put his fingers to her chin so she faced him. "Until I met you, Lizzie, I've never _wanted_ to be."

Lizzie exhaled and threw herself into Patrick's arms. Patrick smiled and kissed her softly on her shoulder.

Frankie gave him a thumbs up and started heading towards the door. Patrick smiled, giving him the thumbs up signal and Frankie nodded.

Frankie crept out through the door as quiet as a mouse and ducked down so as not to be seen by his mother and sneakily handed Patrick the ring box. His mission accomplished, he crept back quietly unbeknownst to his mother.

Lizzie looked up thinking she heard the sound of the door. "Is that Frankie? I wonder what's taking him so long."

Patrick shook his head quickly. "No, that's not Frankie. Maybe he changed his mind. He and Marie are probably watching Spongebob." he assured her noticing her doubtful look. "closed captioned."

Just then he spotted Frankie, Nana, and Marie smiling watching through the window.

Patrick's eyes popped open and he quickly pulled Lizzie into an embrace, waving them away before she could turn around. "Isn't this nice?"

"Mmmm yes. It sure is. Are you sure we're not being watched?" Lizzie asked Patrick running fingers up and down his back flirtatiously.

"No, we're not being watched." Patrick told her facing her now and glancing back at the window every so often.

"It's such a beautiful night. It's too bad Frankie's missing it." Lizzie commented. She noticed Patrick had become silent. "Cat got yer tongue? Didn't you have one more question for me?" She asked smiling totally unsuspecting of what lay ahead.

Patrick took a breath. "Right." He said holding the ring box tightly in his hand. It all came down to this. He searched for the right words and nothing came out. _Speak Patrick._

"I…er…" he stammered and looked away still clinging tightly to the little package.

Lizzie began to look concerned and felt the tension forming in her stomach as she pondered what his question could possibly be.

"Lizzie, I've been away many years at sea….and I've never had anything to look forward to. There wasn't anything in my life that held any meaning."

Lizzie nodded understandingly as Patrick considered his words.

He looked up at the stars in the sky, hoping that the right thing to say would come. He felt his heart begin to pound. His knuckles were turning white from the tightness of the grip on the box.

"But then through God or Fate or Marie, I met you and Frankie and….I couldn't imagine that a life without you could be a life worth living. It's like I was asleep for so many years and it took you to finally wake me up."

Tears began to well in Lizzie's eyes. She felt her heart overflowing from the weight of his words and sat in silence watching him; her friend and lover as he once again bared his soul to her.

"I am a better person because of you. I'll never be able to describe in words how much the past two months with you have meant to me. You mean the world to me. You and Frankie." He took a deep breath, noticing the tears trickling down Lizzie's face. Finding strength from her tears he added, "And if you'll be my wife, I'll promise to spend every day of our lives never letting you regret it."

Lizzie's mouth fell open and she covered it with one hand as the meaning of his request sunk in. Patrick put his folded hand, palm up in front of her and unfolded it revealing the ring box. With his other hand he opened the dainty box and looked deeply into her eyes. "Question number three is, Lizzie Morrison, will you marry me?"

Lizzie's tears were flowing freely now as she looked wondrously from the ring in his hand to Patrick's magnetic eyes and back again to the ring. Lizzie couldn't believe what was happening.

He held a band of gold with a 6 prong solitaire round cut diamond. The ring was breathtaking in its simplicity and elegant in its design. Lizzie thought it was absolutely perfect. She couldn't imagine herself choosing a more appropriate ring to represent their love.

She looked to the man before her. Here was no longer the sailor she had idealized as the perfect man. Patrick's turquoise eyes were filled with fear. Vulnerability marred his handsome features.

Lizzie knew with one word she could crush him. He looked like a little boy who was on the verge of either losing everything he ever wanted or achieving his most glorious hopes and dreams.

Patrick was human, same as she. He was imperfect and stubborn and sometimes clueless but she loved him with every fiber of her being. She could not imagine life without him and didn't want to.

Gingerly, she lifted the band from its box; admiring the brilliant sparkle of the solitaire.

Patrick remained silent as though holding his breath awaiting her reply. She sniffled and wiped away tears with her other hand.

Lizzie found herself speechless. Patrick watched her expectantly.

Her silence now worrying him, he questioned nervously, "You have an answer for me?"

She sniffled again; a smile playing about her lips. For Lizzie there was only one answer. She nodded vigorously her reply, clutching the ring in her hand tightly and pressing it up to her heart.

Immediately she saw the joy and relief in his face. Lizzie reached out her arms to embrace him but he backed away; raising an eyebrow playfully.

"What's wrong? Cat got yer tongue? I want to hear you _say_ the word." Patrick told her teasingly.

Lizzie opened her mouth but was interrupted by the sound of her mum's voice.

"I think the answer is yes, Patrick." Nell's impatient voice called out from the window. Marie stood next to her laughing and shaking her head; Frankie smiled and Ally joined them at the window.

Lizzie's eyes opened widely from the sound of her mother's interfering voice. Reflexively she answered, "Mother! I don't need ya to answer for me!" she cried out incredulously.

Patrick chuckled at his future mother-in-law, watching the group at the window.

Lizzie turned around to see Marie, her mum, son, and Ally smiling and waving at her. She was completely disoriented. "Mother? When did you get here?" she asked surprisedly.

From the door Nell, Frankie, Marie, and Ally emerged; rushing over to Patrick and Lizzie in the hot tub offering their congratulations.

Ally extended his hand to Patrick and shook it. Lizzie snapped out of her confusion.That's when it hit her.

This had been planned. And everyone was in on it. Lizzie had never felt happier and truly appreciated all the trouble they had gone through.

Quickly Lizzie and Patrick exited the hot tub accepting the towels from Marie's outstretched hands along with several embraces from the others.

"Ya coming in?" Marie asked them.

"In a minute, Marie." Patrick told his sister embracing Lizzie tightly.

The four took the hint and Nell took Frankie's hand leading him inside. Ally pulled Marie into an embrace; whispered something in her ear causing Marie to giggle as they entered the flat.

Lizzie looked up at Patrick and kissed him. The night was clear. A feeling of warmth, and security overcame her as she noticed a clump of stars that were especially bright.

At that moment Lizzie remembered the ring in her hand and pulled away from him.

He looked at her questioningly as she opened her hand and grasped the ring between her two fingers and handed it to him.

She took a breath and shuddered with excitement. Holding her hand out palm down to him and looking deeply into his eyes, she said, "Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife, Patrick Connelly."

Patrick grinned widely as he slid the delicate ring on to her slender finger. He silently marveled at how much more beautiful the ring looked now that it was on her hand. An overwhelming feeling of emotion prompted him to take her hand in his and lift it to his lips, kissing it gently.

Lizzie was charmed by his gallant gesture and melted into his arms gratefully, letting him lead her back into the house hand in hand.

The two entered and Lizzie gasped delightedly as she found Marie's living room festively decorated with colorful balloons and a Congratulations banner hung across a wall. Patrick smiled satisfactorily that his plans had been carried out successfully with Marie's and Frankie's eager help.

Frankie was found standing next to the dining table; a huge grin spread across his face. He happily embraced his mother, still clad in her bathing suit and towel. Frankie angled her to the side revealing a decorated cake on the table. It read 'Congratulations Patrick & Lizzie'.

Lizzie was joyously overwhelmed by the group's thoughtfulness. She turned around to call for Patrick and found her son embracing him in a congratulatory hug.

The dripping of Lizzie's hair upon her shoulder reminded her of her current state of dress so she grabbed her newly engaged, still bare-chested fiancée to change.

Walking down the hallway, Lizzie could hardly believe she was an engaged woman and that what she'd been wishing for months would finally come true. Her beloved pulled her in close for an embrace and gently stroked her hair. Patrick guessed that Lizzie would never really know how much her acceptance meant to him.

A thought occurred to Lizzie and she looked up at him curiously.

"Is something wrong?" Patrick asked smiling, feeling nothing could spoil his happy mood.

Lizzie shook her head. "Everything's perfect, Patrick." She told him. "But I just wondered. What would you all have done if I said no?"

* * *

The two engaged women stood behind the counter the next day with hands in front of them side by side happily comparing rings. 

"It's beautiful, Marie. I just can't believe you've been engaged for two weeks and didn't tell me!"

"I was dying to, Lizzie, believe me! After we told Patrick the good news he was adamant that we not tell you because at that time he was on a wild hunt for the perfect ring." Marie laughed. "He thought he'd never find it. Then one day he took Frankie with him and it didn't take long after that."

Lizzie smiled at the thought of Frankie and Patrick shopping for a ring. Lizzie turned and faced Marie thoughtfully. "Congratulations on your engagement, Marie." Lizzie leaned in and embraced Marie. "I know the two of you will be very happy."

Marie squeezed her future sister-in-law tightly. "Same to you."

"And I can't thank you enough for all that you did. It was a brilliant surprise."

"It was all Patrick's idea. You have done Patrick a world of good." Marie told her sincerely.

Lizzie smiled at the compliment. "I love your brother very much. I just wonder where he's gotten the time between working and trying to get things done at the beach house."

"Patrick's a very determined man. He will accomplish just about anything he sets his mind to." Marie told him as she readied her cash drawer.

Cindy burst into the shop excitedly. "Let me see it, Lizzie! Let me see it!" she squealed anxiously rushing over to Lizzie and reached for her hand.

Lizzie looked at Cindy with a puzzled expression as Cindy examined the ring on her finger. "Hold the phone. How did _you _know?"

Cindy gazed dreamily at Lizzie's ring. "My boyfriend and Patrick work together." Cindy told her simply. "It's gorgeous, Lizzie." Cindy sighed to her. She looked up to Lizzie, tears filling her eyes and embraced her. "Congratulations. I'm so happy for you and Patrick."

Lizzie returned Cindy's hug. "Thank you, Cindy."

Cindy stepped back and looked at Lizzie sadly. "I can't believe you're going to marry the toothsome fellow." She twisted her mouth into a mock frown. "Probably have toothsome children." She grumbled jokingly.

Lizzie cocked her head to the side sympathetically and laid her hand on Cindy's shoulder. "Awww Cindy."

"No, it's alright, Lizzie. I'm just happy that it's you." Cindy told her with a smile and Marie nodded in agreement. "So…ladies..." Cindy squeezed herself between Marie and Lizzie putting her arms around their necks excitedly and told them in a sing song voice, "We have some planning to do."

* * *

A/N: More to come probably next week. The final chapters! 


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

"Do you remember the last time we danced like this?" Lizzie asked gazing lovingly at Patrick as he held her tight; their bodies swaying in time to the music.

"I do." Patrick answered friskily; his mouth eagerly seeking out the sensitive flesh on her neck.

Lizzie giggled delightedly as his tender lips brought her back to that moment. Conscious of the fact that they were not alone, Lizzie moved her head up and simply allowed herself to be drawn into the spellbinding turquoise color that stared back at her.

Caught up in each other's eyes, they barely noticed Catriona and Frankie spinning around on the crowded dance floor nearly crashing into them.

Lizzie gave Frankie a look of warning to be careful and fell blissfully back into the loving warmth of Patrick's eyes. She noticed that he was especially quiet.

"Is everything alright?" she asked him straightening his bow tie.

Patrick shook his head as if coming out of a spell. "Yeah. Lizzie, I'm fine. I just can't believe it." He told her glancing sidelong at Marie and Ally who were caught up in their own spell. Lizzie laid her head contentedly on Patrick's shoulder with a smile.

"It was a beautiful ceremony." Lizzie said and Patrick nodded with a sigh. "And Marie is a beautiful bride."

Marie was every bit the blushing bride in her gown of white. Atop her head she wore white heather setting off the reddish color of her hair and a sheer veil flowing down her back. Ally looked like a fine groom dressed in a traditional kilt.

They were engaged in a kiss when the song ended. The guests stopped and applauded; awaiting the next song.

Patrick watched Ally as he pulled away from Marie and took the stage accompanied by other members of his band. Ally made eye contact with Patrick and nodded.

Marie looked up at her groom on the stage questioningly. An old familiar tune played and Marie laughed out loud as Ally took the microphone and said, "For my lovely bride, Marie. This one's for you!" he told her gallantly pointing.

Lizzie and Patrick stood smiling next to Marie as they watched Ally dancing and snapping to the beat to the opening of the old Beatles' tune.

"_When I get older losing my hair, many years from now_…" he sang lightheartedly never taking his eyes off Marie.

The guests clapped and hooted watching Ally. Marie covered her mouth in surprise and watched as Lizzie observed fondly.

"_Will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings, b__ottle of wine, If I've been out till a quarter to three, would you lock the door? __Will you still need me will you still feed me…..when I'm 64?_" Ally sang now on his knees with arms outstretched.

Marie giggled; clapping as the music played and Ally called out. "Come on up, Patrick and join me!"

Patrick joined him onstage enthusiastically and left Lizzie gaping after him beside Marie.

Patrick sang the chorus with the rest of the band. "_Oooooh Ahhhhhhh_." He sang winking at Lizzie.

"_You'll be older too, and if you say the word, I could stay with you_." Ally sang pointing again to his radiant bride. Now on his feet, he and Patrick circled each other. In an exaggerated motion Ally handed Patrick the microphone.

Patrick charismatically sung to Lizzie as her heart pounded; caught up in a daze. "_I_ _could be handy mending a fuse when your lights are gone, you can knit a sweater by the fireside, Sunday mornings go for a ride. Doing the garden,_ _digging the weeds, who could ask for more_?"

The two kilted men got down on one knee with arms outstretched and sang in unison, "_Will you still need me will you still feed me….when I'm 64?"_

Lizzie felt her face turn different shades of red as she watched her fiancée and Ally singing to them as though it were the most natural thing in the world. She and Marie stepped in time with the beat as the guests hollered and cheered and thunderous applause overcame the hall. Catriona stood silently with her head to the side with a little smile and hands over her heart. Frankie just watched them with a goofy grin.

Patrick and Ally finished their engaging little performance and joined Lizzie and Marie on the dance floor. Cindy and her boyfriend gave them a thumbs up and continued to dance as the next song was played.

"Yer just full of surprises aren't you?" Marie asked Ally, beaming at him. Ally raised his eyebrows up and down and kissed his glowing bride. Marie reciprocated her new husband's kiss eagerly, very charmed by his actions and felt truly happy.

Patrick pulled Lizzie away to sit at their table. Lizzie found herself blown away by his whimsicality. "I….don't know what to say!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"You don't have to say anything, Lizzie. Just kiss me."

Lizzie smiled joyously at her handsome future husband and couldn't think of anything she'd rather do at that moment.

* * *

_Three short months later_

"I, Patrick Connelly take you Elizabeth Morrison to be my wife. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful, and loyal husband to you, for as long as we both shall live." Patrick spoke the words resolutely with a solemn expression; his eyes sparkled with an unspoken joy.

Handsomely clad in a black tuxedo, Patrick turned to Bob who gave him a wink and handed him the ring as Lizzie followed suit; handing Marie her bridal bouquet and accepted the ring in exchange.

He gazed upon his stunning bride-to-be admiringly as he placed the ring upon her finger. Next, Lizzie eloquently spoke the words that would bind them together for eternity.

"I, Elizabeth Morrison take you Patrick Connelly to be my husband. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful, and loyal wife to you, for as long as we both shall live." Lizzie replied lovingly feeling as though her heart may overflow.

Here across from her stood the man who possessed not only her heart but also her mind, body, and soul and treasured it. Patrick's turquoise eyes met hers adoringly and Lizzie marveled at the dizzying effect he still had on her as she tried to concentrate on sliding the gold band onto his finger.

Marie observed and half-smiled to her dashing husband who was standing on the other side of Bob. Dressed in a long, blue gown that matched the color of her eyes, Marie was the perfect matron of honor. She sighed happily at the union of her only brother and her good friend. The sound of sniffling distracted her and Marie turned her head towards the source. Cindy held her own bouquet shakily, standing beside Marie; blinking her eyes furiously and trying to hold back tears.

The minister continued the blessings and Lizzie looked out at their guests immediately catching Frankie's smiling expression.

Frankie looked admiringly at his beautiful mother. Oddly enough at this moment, he couldn't help recall all the times he'd helplessly witnessed her in despair. The countless times of moving from town to town, and flat to flat had indeed taken its toll on all of them. Now as he observed Lizzie beaming at this man who had miraculously come into their life and brought them both such joy, Frankie realized that he didn't regret any of it. It was what led them here. And he was proud; more proud than he'd ever felt before, to accompany his Nana in walking his mum down the aisle.

Nell wiped tears from her face with a tissue, holding Frankie's hand and squeezing it tightly. Catriona sat on the other side of Frankie wiping her own tears.

Nell admired her daughter and thought she looked angelic in her long, satin bridal gown.

White heather lay atop her veil that rested gently upon a mass of curls with tendrils framing Lizzie's beaming face. Nell proudly observed her future son-in-law holding Lizzie's hands listening intently to the minister's words. In all her life she couldn't recall ever seeing a more handsome or happier couple.

"What God has brought together let no man tear asunder." The minister announced.

Patrick looked at him in anticipation and the minister smiled at the anxious groom and nodded.

"You may kiss the bride."

Patrick grinned at Lizzie and took her into his arms greedily as though he'd been a man long deprived of her affections. He pulled her close into him nearly crushing the veil against her back and lowered his lips tenderly onto hers.

Lizzie readily melted into his embrace and passionately accepted his ardent lips on her own. This kiss, she knew was one she'd never forget. It was the one that bound them together forever. Lizzie lost herself in the feel of his arms, the heated sensation of his lips, and the mind boggling whir of emotions that surrounded them. It wasn't until the minister spoke again that Lizzie and Patrick remembered that they weren't alone.

"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick and Lizzie Connelly."

Lizzie and Patrick pulled away from one another realizing that they had gotten carried away. Lizzie looked up at Patrick smiling and her cheeks were slightly flushed as they turned to face the applause from the delighted guests.

They walked down the aisle arm in arm. Lizzie looked around at the smiling faces.A slight breeze tugged at her veil. Dozens of white roses adorned the seating area and she smiled as she breathed in the lovely fragrance. Some had been from their own rosebushes.

The beach indeed had been the perfect place for their wedding and Lizzie and Patrick smiled with relief that they were now man and wife.

* * *

Bob's eyes twinkled as he elbowed Patrick to get his attention. "You know what I hear, Patrick?" 

Patrick looked questioningly at his tuxedo clad friend with a smile. This was his wedding day and nothing could spoil his mood.

"Marriage is a three ring circus, so it is."

Patrick crinkled his brows.

"Yeah," Bob said holding out his hand pointing to one finger. "First there's the engagement ring." He told him and put down another finger. "Then there's the wedding ring." And put down another. "Then there's the suffer- Ring. Ha!"

Patrick shook his head at his friend who was so caught up in his own amusement.

Bob continued on to Patrick's dismay. "It's true that all men are born free and equal - but some of them get MARRIED! Heh heh!"

The sound of Lizzie clearing her throat interrupted Bob's chortling as Patrick turned around with relief to gaze upon his beautiful bride.

Lizzie forgave Bob's silliness instantly because she knew exactly the role he had played in their relationship. She embraced him gratefully with a smile.

"I'm so happy you could be here, Bob." Lizzie told him genuinely.

Bob returned her embrace and squeezed her tight. "Are ya kidding! Wouldn't miss it for the world." Lizzie pulled away and stood next to her groom sliding her arm behind his back. "Congratulations, Man." He told Patrick extending his hand. "And congratulations to you also, _Mrs._ Connelly." Bob told Lizzie and lifted her hand, kissing it. "Do me a favor now, and don't be breaking my friend's heart."

Lizzie gasped inwardly at the familiarity of that statement. He told her that very same thing the day after Patrick came back. At that time she hadn't been sure of anything.

She nodded to Patrick's best man and smiled mischievously. "I'll take good care of your friend here. Don't _you _worry, Bob. I _haven't_ forgotten." Lizzie told him with a wink.

Patrick's face quickly turned serious. "Ya haven't forgotten what?" he asked looking from Lizzie back to Bob. Bob's eyes opened widely in alarm and quickly looked down and began to walk away. Patrick narrowed his eyes at his friend. A familiar feeling of betrayal washed over him. _Damn Bob_, _what did he tell her, _he thought with dread.

Lizzie stood there silently with a small smile watching Bob stride steadily further away from them.

Patrick's mouth was set in a line. Annoyance shown in his eyes, he called out, "Haven't forgotten what?"

Having observed the disturbed look on her husband's face Lizzie turned his view back towards her. "Patrick, let it go." she told him gently.

"But..."

He tried to argue but before he could Lizzie silenced him with a kiss drawing his arms around her. Patrick was amazed how her sweet lips could still bewitch him.

Lizzie looked into Patrick's eyes as he gently stroked her cheek. "What matters now is that we're together and that you are my husband." she told him with a smile. "and that I love you very much, Patrick Connelly."

Patrick was mesmerized by the tender look in her eyes. Hearing her say those words made him feel like he was the luckiest man on earth.

He pulled her in tight laying her head on his shoulder and whispered softly in her ear. "I love you too, Lizzie Connelly and I always will."

* * *

A/N: The song Ally and Patrick sang is called 'When I'm 64' by the Beatles. I don't own it or any of Bob's jokes or one-liners! One chapter to go. I will post it in a few days.

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	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note: **It has been such a pleasure writing this story and I hope that you have enjoyed it. A _**huge**_ thanks to _Kat097_ for her _invaluable_ guidance and feedback during this long process. I'd like to dedicate this final chapter to her._**Thanks**_ so much, Katie! Also, a _great, big _thanks to all those who have reviewed/commented. The feedback means _so_ much to me. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

**Chapter 25**

**Epilogue,**

_Dear Bob,_

_I hope that all is well with you on your ship. I just received your last letter. Congratulations on your promotion. No one deserves it more than you. I don't regret retiring, Bob. But we sure did have our fun, didn't we? I'm grateful that you were there for me when I needed a friend. I will never forget it. I meant to tell you all this the last time I saw you, but you know me. It's just easier to put down in a letter._

_Since the two weeks that you've sailed, we've finally settled into the beach house. __We bought new furniture and my lovely wifey has made the empty house into a home. I thought I would have a hard time staying here because of all the bad memories but surprisingly have found that it's easy when you're surrounded by people that love you. I love them __all and can't imagine life without them._

_Frankie is brilliant. He learns anything I want to teach him. He's one smart cookie, I'll tell you. I've taught him a little about what I learned about photography back when I was in school and he's really taken to it. We bought him a camera for his tenth birthday and he never misses an opportunity to amaze us with his new found talent._

_Lizzie's mum, Ma; she insisted that I call her that, is surprisingly pleasant to be around. She smiles a lot more now than I've ever seen and she keeps pretty busy with our closest neighbor, the retired officer. Needless to say, she doesn't spend a lot of time at home._

_Things at the fire department are going really well. They tell me that in a year or so that I may be able to promote to engineer. Just imagine your old pal driving a fire truck! Who knows? Maybe in 5 years they'll be calling me Captain Connelly. I love my job and I work with some really great guys. They're like my second family._

_There's just one more thing, Bob. It's hard for me to put down in words. I realize now that I have you to thank for my happiness. You knew me better than anyone and mailing Frankie's letter was the best and kindest thing you could have ever done because God knows I probably wouldn't have done it myself. So thank you, my friend. Thank you so very much. Lizzie thanks you too from the bottom of her heart. I am truly blessed and will always be grateful to you._

_I can smell banana nut muffins and Lizzie's calling me for tea now so I'll end this here and look forward to your reply. Make sure you call us next time you're in town. Take care of yourself out there and don't forget to save some jokes for me._

_Your Friend,_

_Patrick_

* * *

"dddda." 

"Da. That's right!" Patrick's eyes opened widely. "Lizzie!" he called out excitedly.

Lizzie came out of the kitchen carrying a large cake. Setting it down on the table she glanced around to make sure that everyone was inside.

With eyebrows raised Lizzie looked from her husband to the 7 month old baby in his arms.

"Lizzie! She said da. I heard her!"

Lizzie looked at him doubtfully with a smile. This was the third time today he alerted her to the baby's first word only to his disappointment nothing but various sounds lumping together to form baby gibberish came out of her precious little mouth.

"No seriously...watch! Katie?" Patrick told the little one snapping to get her attention. The baby was focused on the colorful balloons that were hung from the ceiling.

Her turquoise eyes met her daddy's and she gurgled. "Say da," Patrick coaxed.

Katie gurgled excitedly and took off her little fire helmet for the umpteenth time that day revealing curly brown locks. She swiftly inserted the rim of the helmet into her mouth.

Lizzie narrowed her eyes at her husband. He was brilliant with the infant and she adored watching the two of them. "Sure she did." she said and leaned in to kiss Katie on her cheek. She pulled the baby helmet from Katie's mouth and placed it back on top of her head then kissed her husband on the cheek, slapping him playfully on his behind.

Patrick frowned at his daughter's uncooperativeness and Lizzie turned away, heading back for the kitchen.

"dddda."

Lizzie's eyes opened widely and she pivoted around noticing Patrick's delighted expression and looked at her beautiful daughter.

"See? Say it again, Katie. I'm your da….say da!" he said excitedly again pointing to himself.

"da da ddddddda," the little one uttered with a delighted expression. Lizzie and Patrick joyously embraced kissing one another in celebration of their daughter's first word.

Lizzie glanced at the clock and noticed the time. "It's time to sing Happy Birthday to Frankie."

The small group gathered together in the festively decorated dining room. It was a beautiful July day. The sun was shining and the waves could be seen crashing into the shore.

Marie, Lizzie, Patrick, Catriona, Nell, and Ally stood in a line while the rest of the group sang along. Ally held the baby as they signed the Happy Birthday song to Frankie.

"Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday, Dear Frankie,"

The group signed and sang. Katie, who was inspired by the singing voices and hand movements clapped and wiggled her own chubby fingers attempting to mimic them.

"Happy Birthday to you," they finished enthusiastically.

Frankie had a huge grin on his face as he looked out and saw that all the people he cared about were there just for him on his special day. He appreciated that Patrick had learned some sign language even though Frankie spoke regularly now.

"Thhank you," Frankie told everyone as they applauded.

"Blow out the candles, Frankie!" Catriona waved and called out.

Frankie smiled to his best friend, bent over, and blew out all twelve candles.

Marie made her way to Frankie and embraced this boy whom she shared a close affinity to. They parted and Marie dutifully began removing candles and cutting and serving slices onto plates while Patrick snapped pictures.

Lizzie gratefully accepted Baby Katie back from Ally's arms. Patrick put his arm around Lizzie and kissed her gently on her cheek feeling a wave of happiness wash over him.

Marie smiled and winked to the birthday boy and handed him a plate. "So what did ya wish for, Frankie?"

The birthday boy looked up thoughtfully, then to his mum holding his baby sister, and the man he now affectionately called dad. Patrick smiled proudly and gave him a thumbs up. Lizzie and Patrick looked at each other lovingly then back at the twelve year old. Frankie grinned widely and thought to himself that here in this house he _already_ had everything he could ever want.

**The End**

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**A/N:** _In case you haven't already, come read "The One" where Patrick's life takes a different path. Prior to meeting Lizzie, he contemplates his future with another woman. Check it out!_


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